Of New Horizons and Thoughts of Flight
by TeamTHEFT
Summary: Sequel to Of Loneliness and Second Chances. Please read that first! After the Doctor and Freya's separation on Doomsday, how will things continue? How will life be for Freya once Martha and Donna are added to the mix? Begins at the beginning of season 3. FreyaxDoctor, DoctorxOC
1. Chapter 1

**Here you go, the sequel to Of Loneliness and Second Chances. If you haven't read that, please go and read it first. This will make no sense otherwise. **

Of New Horizons and Thoughts of Flight

Chapter 1: Three Months

At two weeks after the Battle of Canary Wharf, James put his foot down.

Him and Freya had been staying at the Torchwood Estate, where James spent his time arranging a life for himself.

Freya spent the time staring blankly out the window.

James ought to have put a stop to her behavior sooner. He knew that. But he also knew he had to get his new life straightened out. He had a feeling that when Freya finally snapped out of the rut she'd settled in, she'd need all the support he could give her and more.

So once it was all in order, he decided it was high time for Freya to begin her recovery.

He pushed her door open carefully, peering in at her. she was still sitting at the table she'd been sitting at when he'd visited her the night before, the food he'd brought for her untouched. Her eyes were still glued out the window, watching relentlessly for that blue box to show up.

"Did he forget about me?" Freya asked quietly. Her voice cracked. James was certain it was the first words he'd heard from her in at least a week.

"No. He didn't forget about you. He thinks you're trapped in the other world. When he finds out, and he will, he'll come back for you," James told her immediately.

"He wanted to leave me behind. Before," Freya commented absently. James sat down in the chair next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"He'll be back. Now get up. Go take a shower. I'll make you some fresh food and then we're going on a walk. Sitting like this isn't good for the baby. Neither is not eating," James lectured her as he stood and helped her carefully to her feet. She swayed as he let go of her, something that worried James to no limit. He helped her carefully to the bathroom before running water int the tub for her, not trusting her to stand.

"Take a bath, okay? Hold onto something as you get in and if you feel even slightly dizzy, drain the water and wrap in a towel and call me, and I'll help you out, okay? I'm leaving your phone right here," James said, placing her phone right next to the tub as he turned the water off. Freya nodded to him and he turned and made his way down to the kitchen, turning up the volume on his phone as he went.

He needed help. They couldn't stay in the Torchwood and sulk. No. James needed to acclimate to his new life, and Freya needed…Freya needed to stay healthy. Being cooped up inside all day with nothing to do was not healthy for her. She needed to be around her friends.

Who were her friends? James knew who his Freya's friends had been, but this Freya didn't run around in the same social circles as his Freya had.

Masen and Marie were the only friends he knew of. He quickly dialed Masen's number as he got to work making Freya a sandwich. She needed to start small, and healthy.

"Hello?" Masen answered.

"Hey, it's James. I'm worried about Freya," James said automatically.

"Is she not improving?" Masen asked, worry creeping into his voice.

"She's getting worse. She's not eating. I had to force her to take a bath, and she was barely able to stand on her own," James explained.

"I think we should come back to London, so she can be around her friends," James added as he finished making Freya's sandwich.

"She doesn't have many friends, James. That's the problem," Masen said, his voice low.

"She has you two," James pointed out.

"Yeah. But Marie and I are getting married in two weeks. We haven't told Freya yet…she wouldn't answer Marie's calls. We're hoping she'll be able to be in it. It's going to be small – after Canary Wharf, Marie wants to get married as soon as possible so we can cherish our time together. Marie's going to be busy the next two weeks planning the wedding. Freya can help, but Marie can't be there for her the whole time," Masen said.

"What about Jack Harkness? I met him at Canary Wharf. Him and another woman," James remembered. A loud knock sounded on the door as James made his way there.

"Good luck getting ahold of them," Masen told James as James threw open the door.

Only to stop.

Standing in the doorway was Jack Harkness, the woman he'd been with, and another man.

"James," Jack said, nodding at him.

"Guess who just showed up on the doorstep?" James asked Masen.

"If you say it's the Doctor, he'd bettered be getting a good punch," Masen warned.

"No. Jack Harkness and his crew," James said. His words were met by silence.

"That's creepy. Look. Try getting Freya ready to leave today. Come back to London. I got you set up to have Jackie's flat, and we cleaned it out already for you, refurnished it. Freya can stay there with you for awhile. Beats sitting around the Torchwood Estate," Masen said.

"Will do. Bye," James said, hanging up abruptly.

"James. How are you settling in?" Jack asked him.

"I'm fine. Freya's not," James said grimly.

"Mom's not fine?" other man asked in alarm.

"Mom?" James asked, his eyebrows shooting up. The woman next to Jack smacked him on the arm.

"This is River Song and her husband, Bad Wolf. Bad Wolf is Freya's son, as an adult," Jack introduced as River glared at Bad Wolf.

"What sort of a name's that?" James asked, directing his question to Bad Wolf.

"I'm a Time Lord. We don't go around telling people our real first names. Why do you look like my dad?" Bad Wolf challenged James.

"Because I'm from an alternate universe where I am your father's duplicate, that's what," James said, crossing his arms as he stared at the boy. Bad Wolf stared right back at him.

"Sorry. This is rather early for him in his timeline. We thought we'd stop by for a visit. Although if I'd known she wasn't doing well, we'd've come sooner," Jack apologized.

"No worries. She's taking a bath now. Let's head to her room," James said, picking up the sandwich he'd made her. The three followed him down the hallway until they were outside of Freya's room. James knocked lightly before peeking his head in.

She wasn't in there.

He placed her sandwich on the table before knocking on the bathroom door.

"Freya? Are you alright?" James asked, frowning. He heard water move around, as if she were standing up.

"I'm fine," her voice called weakly through the door.

"She doesn't sound fine," River said with a frown.

"That's only the second time she's talked in over a week," James informed her.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Mum?" Bad Wolf demanded of River in alarm.

"Your dad abandoned her here," James informed him, trying to keep any bite out of his voice that he could. He hadn't expressed any irritation with the Doctor in two weeks. He didn't want Freya to get mad at him too.

Then again, anything would be better than the depression she seemed to be going through.

"What?" Bad Wolf asked in alarm.

"It's fine," River tried reassuring Bad Wolf, but he shook his head, instead knocking on the door.

"Mum? Are you okay? It's me. I came to see you," Bad Wolf called.

A loud crash resonated from the room. James's eyes went wide and he threw the door open immediately.

Freya was lying on the floor, barely wrapped in her towel.

And there was blood.

"Mom?" Bad Wolf asked in alarm as River was quickly on the ground beside her, straightening out her towel and trying to find out where the blood was coming from. James grabbed her charm bracelet from the sink and immediately latched it onto her hand, watching as half the charms dissipated in no time.

"It's not enough. Something's wrong. Get out. Get to the bedroom, find a first aid kit. I'll get her decent and figure out what's wrong," River ordered. Bad Wolf and Jack hurried out the door but James stayed behind.

"I'll help you out. I can hold her up for you as you slip clothes on her," James said, immediately shifting so he was holding Freya. River frowned at him but immediately toweled Freya dry as James kept his eyes on the ceiling.

"The blood's coming from two places. One now. It looked like she almost had a miscarriage. That bleeding's stopped. She hit her head as well and it's still bleeding, but it doesn't look too bad. It looks like she was trying to step out of the tub and Bad Wolf surprised her. We don't need to tell him that though. He's upset enough," River said, leveling James a look. James couldn't see it but he could feel her burning a hole in his neck.

"Is she decent yet?" James asked.

"Yeah. You can look now," River said. And James did look.

River was holding a washcloth to the side of Freya's head. A quickly reddening washcloth.

"Let's get her to the bed," River said, only for James to lift Freya into his arms without a hitch.

He carried her into her bedroom and laid her down in her untouched bed as Bad Wolf and Jack burst in the room, a suitcase rolling behind them.

"What the hell is that?" James asked them.

"A first aid kit!" Bad Wolf retorted before heaving it up on the bed next to Freya.

"I meant a small one, not the entire stock of the medical room," River said, rolling her eyes, but digging through it nonetheless.

"How did you know where it was? I didn't even know where it was," James said.

"Jack did. Bad Wolf hasn't been here before. Jack and I came here in the future, to the past, to visit," River said. Her words were confusing but James wasn't about to ask her to elaborate.

He had a feeling he wouldn't understand her even if she did.

"But what can we use to help her? Unless you're a doctor, I don't know if you know how to stop a miscarriage," James said sharply.

"Actually, I am a doctor. Just not a medical doctor. The TARDIS charm bracelet is preventing the miscarriage, however she's still bleeding from where she hit her head. If we can get her patched up, we can take her to London and find a doctor to help us," River said as she dug around in the first aid suitcase.

"It takes a while to get to London, unless you have a time machine as well," James pointed out.

"No, but we have the Vortex Manipulators, like the one we lent to you to save her. Bad Wolf, you and Freya will take one to go straight there while Jack and I will pack your things and drive your car up there," River said immediately as she wiped the drying blood from Freya's forehead.

"You said a doctor. We can't take her to a normal doctor, not with an alien baby!" James protested.

"No. You won't. You'll jump a bit in the future to meet Martha Jones. She's the doctor that helps deliver Freya's baby. There. Pick her up, James. Bad Wolf, here's the Vortex Manipulator. Plug in the codes and make sure James's and Freya's hands are on it," River reminded him as she strapped the Vortex Manipulator on his hand. Bad Wolf typed in a few numbers on it before grabbing Freya's hand. James placed his own hand over it as Bad Wolf slammed his hand down on it.

When they appeared, they were in some sort of closet.

"Nice job," James complained. Bad Wolf shot him a glare.

"Let's see you do any better," Bad Wolf argued as he opened the door. James followed closely behind him as they checked in rooms as they walked.

They entered one room that looked empty until a black woman walked in, eyes wide.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" she asked them.

"We're looking for Doctor Martha Jones. Have you seen her?" Bad Wolf asked politely. The woman laughed at him.

"I'm Martha Jones, but I'm not a full doctor yet. Just in training. Why do you need me?" she asked. Bad Wolf didn't answer, instead spun around to stare at a calendar on the wall.

"What's the date?" Bad Wolf asked.

"Excuse me?" Martha asked.

"The date," Bad Wolf repeated. Martha told him, only for James to glare at Bad Wolf.

He'd only managed to make them jump one day in the future.

So Martha didn't know about the baby and what to do yet.

"If you need medical help, I can go get someone," Martha offered, turning to leave.

"NO! We need….we need your help. See, she almost had a miscarriage. But the pregnancy's really rare. We need someone we can trust, and we were given your name," Bad Wolf stumbled through his lie.

"How could I help with a rare pregnancy?" Martha scoffed.

"She has two hearts. It was a defect she was born with, then had surgery to fix it. However, the baby also has two hearts. Only the baby's two hearts work. That's the main defect. And she's allergic to aspirin," Bad Wolf said immediately.

"Two hearts? Are you sure it's not twins?" Martha asked, slipping into medical mode. James laid Freya down on the empty bed in the room.

"Pretty sure. If you could get sonogram equipment out and test her for us, we'd be eternally grateful. And we aren't patients here, technically not supposed to be here, so if you mess up we can't blame you. Call it extra practice," Bad Wolf suggested. Martha stared at him for a moment, contemplating it, before scurrying out the room.

"She'll be back, and she'll help us," Bad Wolf said confidently.

"How can you be so sure?" James scoffed.

"She needs extra practice. She's one of those people who spend months studying for each little test. She'll be here in five minutes tops," Bad Wolf boasted.

"Fine. Five minutes. Care to tell me how you botched the date?" James asked, crossing his arms as he glared at Bad Wolf.

"I'm my father's son. He could never get anywhere on the right time, if the stories are to be believed. I've never worked a Vortex Manipulator. I was guessing. I didn't want to tell River, because, well, she's hot, and she said she's married to me. I don't want to let her down," Bad Wolf said, cheeks burning with his words.

"She said she's married to you?" James asked for clarification.

"It's all a bit timey-wimey. She's married to the older version of me," Bad Wolf said, waving it off.

"What sort of nonsense is timey-wimey?" James asked in disbelief. Bad Wolf just shot him a glare.

"Fine. Use your made- up words," James huffed, sinking into the chair next to Freya's bed.

"You said Dad just left her behind?" Bad Wolf asked quietly, sitting on the bed next to Freya.

"Yeah. He thought she was gone," James said.

"That's got to be tearing her up," Bad Wolf said sadly, taking her hand and stroking it gently.

"It is," James agreed.

"He'll come back for her," Bad Wolf said confidently.

"And how can you be so sure?" James asked drily.

"Because I've met my dad before. I didn't get to know him as well as I wished I had, but I did grow up with him to a degree. Him more than Mum, unfortunately," Bad Wolf said with a sigh.

"Why?" James asked in alarm, sitting up straighter.

"Mum's human. She's going to die. Dad didn't want to waste any time with her. He had to leave her at home. He always returned within seconds of leaving her though. For her. For us, we'd be gone a few years sometimes, wandering around space and time, thinking about her," Bad Wolf explained.

"But I thought you said you didn't get to know him very well," James argued. Bad Wolf sighed.

"Dad lost me at one point. I managed to make it to Mum's past, hoping they'd show up to get me. It took them about six years, but they did," Bad Wolf explained.

"How can it take someone six years to find their child?" James asked in disbelief. Bad Wolf winced.

"I probably shouldn't have told you that much, spoilers and all that," Bad Wolf said with a sigh.

About that time, Martha reappeared with equipment.

"Okay. Can you boys get her set up?" Martha asked as she moved the equipment next to Freya's bedside. James and Bad Wolf wasted no time in propping Freya up. She stirred slightly but didn't wake up.

Martha lifted her shirt and spread some sort of gel across her stomach before turning the monitor on and pressing a tiny box against her stomach. She moved it around a bit. James turned to stare at the machine as an image of the baby came onto screen. The dual heartbeats echoed through the room as Martha stared at the screen in disbelief.

"You were right," Martha said, stunned.

"Yeah. Is the baby okay?" Bad Wolf said, trying to hurry her along. Martha examined the screen before frowning.

"It looks like the baby's under high stress. I'd say if the mother could limit her stress then there shouldn't be a problem. That and a lot of bed rest," Martha said.

About that time, Freya let out a quiet moan before opening her eyes.

And they subsequently widened in fear.

"Calm down. Sh. Everything's okay," James told her instantly. Bad Wolf waved him off before crawling into the bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"It's all okay, Mum," Bad Wolf told her.

"Mum? You're the same age as her!" Martha said in alarm, glancing between the two of them.

"It's a bit of a long story," Bad Wolf said awkwardly.

"I baby him. Always have. It was a joke. All of my friends call me Mum," Freya managed weakly, her lie already much better than Bad Wolf's. Martha nodded slowly.

"I'm Martha Jones. I'm a medical student. We were just checking on your baby. Do you want me to go get you a real doctor?" Martha asked Freya. Freya shook her head immediately.

"No. They don't have open minds. They freak out when they see the two hearts," Freya lied once more. James was almost shocked with how well she was lying. Martha nodded.

"If you ever need anything, let me know. Here's my number," Martha said, scribbling her number down on a piece of paper before handing it to Freya. She tucked a strand of hair awkwardly behind her ear.

"I'm only a student, but I'll do my best to help you. You seem…scared? Of doctors? So if you want me, I can try to help if anything else happens," Martha offered. Freya nodded, taking in her words.

"Thanks. Should we…should we have a checkup, soon?" Freya asked, biting her lip.

"Of course. Unless anything else happens, come back here in two weeks. Or just give me a call, and I can meet you somewhere," Martha suggested. Freya gave her smile and nodded as Martha scurried out of the room.

"You sure covered that well," James said proudly. Freya could only shrug.

"I was just trying to keep us out of trouble," she said. James nodded in agreement.

"Well you succeeded. Let's get going. Kid, what're the odds of you being able to get us to the flat today with that thing?" James asked. Bad Wolf grimaced at his words.

"We could just call a cab," Bad Wolf said, lowering his head awkwardly. Freya pulled her arm around him and gave him a quick hug.

"Better safe than sorry. I'm glad you're here," she told him warmly.

"If I'd known you were depressed, I'd've made River bring me sooner," Bad Wolf told her earnestly.

"I'm not depressed," Freya protested, but both James and Bad Wolf sent her a look that told her there was no use in arguing.

They got to the flat about the same time as Jack and River. Upon seeing them step out of a cab, River's eyes narrowed.

"What happened to the Vortex Manipulator?" she asked him. Bad Wolf scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I'd never used one before. I sort of got us here today, and didn't trust myself to use it to get here," Bad Wolf explained.

"Oh. Sorry, sweetie. I didn't realize how early it was for you," River apologized, looking quite chagrined.

"It's fine. Let's just get them settled in," Bad Wolf said gruffly, taking Freya's hand and leading her up the stairs.

"He never changes. Still grabs for Mum's hand when he's upset," Jack joked behind them, only for River to elbow him in the gut.

"No talking about my husband like that, or I'll let your wife know what all you've said about her behind her back," River threatened.

"Who is your wife, Jack? I'd like to meet her one day. After all, she seems to be quite the woman, if she's got you to stop in your amorous ways," Freya joked weakly.

"You'll meet her soon enough, Beautiful," Jack said with a wink, only to earn a slap from River and a groan from Bad Wolf. James could only stare at them in amusement.

"Don't talk about my mum that way," Bad Wolf growled. Jack only grinned at them before blowing Bad Wolf a kiss.

"Jealous?" he challenged.

"I will tell your wife," River warned him once more, only for Jack to wink at Freya once more.

Freya froze as they made it to the top of the stairs. James nearly ran into her.

"Why are we here?" Freya asked, staring at what use to be Rose and Jackie Tyler's door.

"This is where we're going to live. It's ours now," James told her quietly.

"I don't want to live here," Freya said, turning quickly. Both River and Jack stopped her.

"You have to. Don't worry. You won't live here forever," Jack told her.

"You'll be fine," River added.

It took the lot of them to get Freya into the flat, but once she was inside she was fine. They had truly redecorated the entire thing so that it could have been anyone's flat, not Rose's. Not her family's.

A month and a half flew by. Freya really didn't have time to be upset because the entire time was spent helping Marie plan her wedding. Marie welcomed the help, and Freya welcomed the distraction.

The day of the wedding, everything went wonderful. At the reception, while Marie and Masen were busy dancing, Freya found herself slinking off to a corner.

The wedding was wonderful, beautiful even, but it only served as a reminder. A reminder that her husband wasn't there, that he thought she was lost to him. She'd been there for two months now, waiting for him. Each day her hope dwindled even more. Would he ever come back for her?

She wanted to drown those thoughts away, but she couldn't and she knew it. It could harm the baby. The baby was all she had left. The baby and her friends. What would happen when the baby was born? She couldn't very well keep seeing Martha, who was still going to be a student for quite some time. She had no idea how to raise an alien baby. She didn't even know how much longer she'd be pregnant for.

Everything was terrifying.

"Are you alright there?"

Freya glanced up to see a redhead standing over her. A familiar redhead. Freya nodded, only to realize she was crying. When had she started crying? She didn't remember starting. She hastily wiped her eyes, trying to manage to get to her feet. Before she could even try, the redhead slipped to the ground next to her.

Her name came to Freya in an instant. Donna. It was Donna.

"My name's Donna. Donna Noble. How do you know the bride and groom?" Donna asked Freya.

"I'm their friend," Freya managed.

"Well, what's your name? You can't just not tell me," Donna protested. Freya tried remembering what River had told her before about Donna, but she couldn't remember it for the life of her.

"Freya," Freya finally said.

"Well, Freya, feel like telling me what's got you all teared up at wedding? Those aren't happy tears, I can tell," Donna said, settling herself against the wall.

"It just…it reminds me of my husband. I haven't seen him in awhile," Freya said honestly.

"Really? He sounds like a right git," Donna announced, causing Freya to laugh unexpectedly. Donna laughed alongside her.

"Now that's right. Laughing's good. Where is he?" Donna asked curiously.

"I don't know. He…he thinks I'm dead, I think. So he's gone travelling, with no way of reaching him," Freya murmured.

"He doesn't sound that bright," Donna complained, once more getting a smile from Freya.

"I like you," Freya found herself admitting.

"Good. Because I like you too. Now let's get up and get something to drink," Donna said, standing up before offering her hand to Freya. Freya allowed Donna to pull her to her feet.

"I can't drink. Pregnant," Freya said, gesturing to her stomach. Donna stared at her for a moment before sighing.

"Fine. We won't drink. No alcohol it is," she said dramatically before pulling Freya over towards the open bar. Freya allowed herself to be tugged along.

Donna got her and Freya both an orange juice apiece before leading them to an abandoned table near the dancing.

"How do you know Marie and Masen?" Freya asked curiously.

"My fiancé used to work with Masen, back at Canary Wharf. At least, that's what he said. I don't know a bloody person here," Donna admitted.

"You know me," Freya told her, earning a smile from Donna.

"You're right. I do. Lucky me," Donna said, grinning at Freya. Freya couldn't help but grin back at her.

"No. Lucky me," Freya said earnestly. Donna stared at her for a moment.

"We should hang out sometime, yeah? Go shopping maybe? We could get some stuff for your baby and curse your absent husband over chocolate and chips and telly," Donna offered.

"I think I'd like that a lot," Freya admitted.

"Good. We'll have to go light on the chocolate and chips for awhile though. I get married next month. Don't wanna gain a lot of weight," Donna said.

"What day?" Freya asked curiously.

"Christmas. Bettered mark your calendar. I expect to see you there," Donna said.

"A bit demanding," Freya couldn't help but tease, only to earn a grin from Donna.

"I'm not just demanding, I'm commanding as well. I order you to be at my wedding. You aren't going to be spending Christmas alone," Donna announced.

"I wouldn't be alone," Freya tried protesting, only to earn a scoff from Donna.

"I'm sure you wouldn't. Your two friends just got married and your baby isn't born yet, and your husband's gallivanting about. You can enjoy the holiday with me and my family. They'll like you. I'll wait til then to introduce you, though. My Mum's…well, you'll understand if you have to meet her," Donna said with a wink. Freya laughed along with Donna.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said earnestly.

"Good. If I don't see you when I walk down the aisle, I'll walk right back out and give you a ring so you can have the yelling of a lifetime," Donna promised her.

"I believe you," Freya said. Donna glanced up and frowned.

"Looks like Lance is ready to leave. I'll see you later. Here. Shoot me a text. We'll get together soon," Donna promised, scribbling her number on a napkin before handing it to Freya and taking off running after a man who was already leaving.

Freya still had a smile on her face when James approached her thirty minutes later.

"What's got you so happy?" James asked her teasingly.

"I met a friend. Her name's Donna. She invited me to her wedding," Freya told him.

"Her wedding? When is it? And she invited you after just meeting you? Isn't that a bit odd?" he asked her.

"When you meet her, you'll understand. I think that's just how she is. It's on Christmas Day," Freya admitted.

"That's fantastic!" James exclaimed happily. Freya nodded.

"I know," she said before biting back a yawn.

"Come on. You're exhausted. It's time for you to get to bed," he told her, helping her up. With a final wave to Marie and Masen, the two of them left.

That night, Freya fell asleep with a smile on her face. She wasn't anywhere near the Doctor, or any closer to being reunited with him, but maybe she could carry on life here without him while she waited.

**I know this is short. Sorry. Here's chapter one. I will work on the next chapter, The Runaway Bride, and we'll see when it comes up. Please leave a review letting me know what you think!**

**Andi**


	2. The Runaway Bride

**Took a bit longer because the chapter's that much longer. Enjoy!**

Of New Horizons and Second Chances

Chapter 2 – The Runaway Bride

Getting to know Donna Noble was arguably the best thing that could have happened to Freya. Donna not only boosted her confidence, but she got Freya completely out of whatever depressive funk she'd been in.

James didn't like her, but Freya figure that would happen. After all, the Doctor in that form hadn't had the best impression of Donna either.

Still, Freya was much happier, she realized, when she was sitting in the chapel, waiting for Donna to walk down the aisle.

She had a bad feeling about Lance though. She remembered that Donna had introduced herself to Freya in the future as Donna Temple-Noble. Lance's last name wasn't Temple. Still, she didn't dare say anything that could ruin Donna's happiness. Donna had all but given her own happiness back to her as strongly as she could, considering she was still apart from the Doctor.

Freya would not be the person to take Donna's own happiness from her.

She smiled as Donna entered the church, making her way down the aisle. Only, halfway, she dissolved into the gold particles that had been surrounding Freya in the past, back when she was on the TARDIS.

Freya's heart stuttered at the sight.

Everyone was in an uproar.

Freya considered calling the TARDIS. She'd done it once or twice before, but every time she'd gotten the wrong time. Once, she'd gotten him in his last self. Another time, it was him in his next self, and he'd reassured her that she'd see him again, but he couldn't come for her because it was the wrong time for him.

Plus, she had no way to know that the Doctor could help Donna.

"What was that?" Marie asked in alarm from Freya's side.

"I don't know, but we need to find out," Freya said, standing alongside everyone else.

"Hold on. If we can get back to the flat I can run a test or two and we can try to track the particles back to her," James suggested.

"You and Masen, run back to the house then. Marie and I will stay here in case she returns. Keep your phones on you," Freya ordered immediately. Masen and James nodded before dashing out of the church.

"Do you think it had anything to do with him?" Marie asked Freya curiously.

"I don't know. Those were the same particles that are found in the heart of the TARDIS. They aren't good for you. All I know is that we need to find Donna, and we need to do it fast. I'm not about to lose anyone else I care about," Freya said vehemently.

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Donna was panicking. The last thing she'd seen was Freya's eyes, wide in horror and then she was here, in this crazy-looking place. With a man staring at her like she was the weirdest thing he'd ever seen.

"What? You can't do that. I wasn't…we're in flight. That is, that is physically impossible! How did…" he continued to ramble.

"Tell me where I am. I demand you tell me right now where I am!" Donna shouted at him, tightening her hands into fists to hide how badly her hands were shaking.

"Inside the TARDIS," the man said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe.

"The what?" Donna asked him.

"The TARDIS," the man repeated.

"The what?" Donna asked him once more. He was making up words. That's what he was doing. He'd….he'd kidnapped her. Right from her own wedding.

"It's called the TARDIS," the man explained.

"That's not even a proper word! You're just saying things!" Donna said immediately. Maybe it was a prank. That's what it had to be. Nerys. She had to have done it. It wasn't Freya. Freya wasn't that mean.

And Freya had looked terrified.

"How did you get in here?" the man asked her.

"Well, obviously, when you kidnapped me. Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Nerys? Oh my God, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written all over it," Donna rambled.

"Who the hell is Nerys?" the man asked her in confusion.

"It wasn't James, was it? Oh God, it was James. Look, I don't care what he says. She's my friend too, and I'm not taking her away from him. You men are so immature," Donna said immediately.

"Who's James?" the man asked her, his jaw slacked.

"He's your best friend, I'm sure," Donna spat at him. He stared at her for a moment before his eyes scaned her.

"Hold on, wait a minute. What are you dressed like that for?" he asked her.

"I'm going ten pin bowling. Why do you think, dumbo? I was halfway up the aisle! I've been waiting all my life for this. I was just seconds away, and then you, I don't know, you drugged me or something!" Donna shouted at him. Oh God. What if he'd hurt Freya too? She looked so scared. Had he taken her too? Donna glanced around the room, spotting a jacket hanging on one of the…weird…support beams.

She rushed at it, scooping it up. It looked like something Freya would wear. Donna couldn't remember her wearing it, but after a quick glance at the tag, knew it was her size. Donna spun around, eyes livid.

"What have you done with her? Where are you keeping her? Why'd you kidnap her too?" Donna shouted at him. The man's eyes hardened on the jacket.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he said as he stalked over to her, ripping the jacket from her hands.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about! You kidnapped Freya too, didn't you? She looked scared. Where are you keeping her? You'd bettered not be hurting her, or so help me, I'll kill you myself," Donna threatened him.

The man's eyes widened and the jacket slipped from his fingers as he stared at her, mouth hanging open. He was upon her in a moment, arms gripping her shoulders with an intensity that frightened Donna.

"You know Freya? Freya O'Leary, or Freya Smith, whatever she's going by? You know her? Where is she?" the man asked her frantically. Donna struggled to get away from the crazed man but his grip was too tight.

"I'm not telling you anything about her! You'll just go kidnap her next too!" Donna shouted in his face.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," the man told Donna.

"Oh don't I?" Donna asked him sarcastically.

"Freya's my wife," the man said.

It was Donna's turn to be shocked.

"You're the bastard that just up and left her?" Donna spat at him. The man flinched away from her as if he'd been burnt. He took a step back, eyes wide.

"Is that what she thinks of me?" the man asked quietly.

"She's never said a bad word about you. Hardly says a word period. James, however, told me all about you. Marie did too, you know," Donna said.

"Where is she? How long's it been?" the man asked her anxiously, his voice near a whisper.

"Three months, from what James has said. I've only known her a month, but we're good friends. No wonder she looked scared, seeing her ex-husband stealing her friend away in the middle of the wedding!" Donna scoffed. The man's face lost even more color.

"Ex-husband?" he repeated in horror.

"She can't still be married to you, after what you've done," Donna pointed out. Marie and James wouldn't have allowed that.

"Please, where is she? I need to find her," the man pleaded.

"Find her yourself, mate, I'm getting out of here," Donna said, turning on her heel and running for the door.

"No! Wait a minute. Wait a minute! Don't!" the man shouted as he followed her to the door. Donna threw the door open, expecting to see some street, only to see something that looked like it came straight out of one of her grandfather's magazines, or Freya's posters.

"You're in space. Outer space. This is my space ship. It's called the TARDIS," the man told her quietly from behind her. Donna sucked in a shuddering breath.

"How am I breathing?" she asked as it dawned on her.

"The TARDIS is protecting us," the man told her.

"Who ARE you?" Donna asked quietly.

"I'm the Doctor. You?" the man asked her.

"Donna," Donna breathed, staring at the galaxy in front of her. She assumed it was a galaxy. She wished she'd listened more to her grandfather now.

"Human?" the Doctor asked her quietly.

"Yeah. Is that optional?" Donna asked, spinning to look at him.

"Well, it is for me," the Doctor said with a shrug, but his eyes still held apprehension and anxiety.

"You're an alien," Donna realized.

"Yeah," the Doctor said.

"Does Freya know?" Donna demanded.

"Yeah," the Doctor said with a nod.

Donna shook her head, trying to straighten out her thoughts.

"It's freezing with these doors open," Donna complained. The Doctor quickly slammed the doors shut and made his way to the center…thing.

"I don't understand how you got here, and I understand everything. A human shouldn't be able to do this….Freya! Where's Freya? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" the Doctor rambled, eyes wide. Donna stalked over to him and slapped him across the face. The Doctor's head jerked back and his eyes widened as he stared at her.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"Get me to the church!" Donna shouted at him. She had to get married. She could figure out Freya's marriage after she got her own ironed out.

"Right! Fine! Freya should be at the church. Where is this wedding?" the Doctor asked her.

Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System," Donna said, feeling her sarcasm taking over as she spoke.

"Right!" the Doctor exclaimed.

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Everyone was leaving the church. Marie was making phone calls, but with each and every call Freya felt even more anxious. Her own eyes were glued to her cell phone screen. Donna knew her mobile number. Donna would call her soon, if she could.

Why hadn't Freya talked Donna into pockets on her wedding dress? She'd suggested them, once, but hadn't been able to give Donna a legitimate reason for needing them. If Donna had had pockets, she'd have her phone, some money, something, anything. But Donna had nothing.

What if it was the Daleks? What if they survived, and had managed to harness the power of the Time Vortex? Why did they need Donna? Who needed Donna that had the power to take her using the golden particles?

Her anxiety was upsetting the baby, she realized. She sank into a chair just as the priest was starting to usher people out.

"Can't you let her sit here?" Marie demanded of him.

"We have another wedding," the priest said, his tone only partially apologetic. Marie huffed and helped Freya to her feet.

"Any word?" Freya asked, but Marie could only shake her head.

"Do you think it has something to do with aliens?" Marie asked quietly.

"I don't know. Those particles…they looked an awful lot like the particles in the heart of the TARDIS. They're deadly. They're what I've been exposed to, what helped me to conceive. I got it in small, small doses. That was a lot of particles, all at once," Freya said, her voice catching.

"She'll be fine. Donna'd have a row with the devil himself and come out of it alive," Marie said soothingly. Freya bit back a laugh at her words.

"Let's head on to the reception. We can wait outside for her there. That's the place she'll go. She's already missed the wedding slot," Freya suggested.

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As soon as the Doctor glanced towards the door, Donna took off towards it. She opened the door, only to frown.

"I said Saint Mary's. What sort of Martian are you? Where's this?" Donna demanded, spinning on him.

"Something's wrong with her. The TARDIS, it's like she's…recalibrating. She's digesting. What is it? What have you eaten? What's wrong? Donna? You've really got to think. Is there anything that might've caused this?" the Doctor was going on as Donna ran out of the TARDIS.

It was a box. A blue box, no bigger than a phone booth. She walked around it quickly before making her way back into it. She had been in a box. A box that was bigger on the inside. She ran back outside, staring at it before walking away. This was mad, all of it! She had to get to her wedding. And to Freya.

Dear God. What if he'd brainwashed Freya? This was all too much.

"Donna!" the Doctor shouted from behind her.

"Leave me alone. I just want to get married," Donna protested.

"Come back to the TARDIS," the Doctor urged but Donna could only shake her head in protest.

"No way. That box is too weird," Donna scoffed.

"It's bigger on the inside, that's all," the Doctor said, unsure as to what the big deal was.

"Oh! That's all? Ten past three. I'm going to miss it," Donna realized in dismay.

"You can phone them. Tell them where you are," the Doctor suggested. Donna just stared at him.

"How do I do that?" Donna shot at him.

"Haven't you got a mobile?" the Doctor asked her, confused. Didn't most humans carry those now? He was fairly certain they did.

"I'm in my wedding dress! It doesn't have pockets! Who has pockets? Have you ever seen a bride with pockets? When I went to my fitting at Chez Alison, the one thing I forgot to say is give me pockets….oh," Donna stopped, eyes wide.

Freya had mentioned pockets on their way to get her dress designed. It had been one of their first outings together, since Donna had waited to get the dress. She'd mentioned pockets. Donna had thought she was kidding.

"Oh what?" the Doctor asked her anxiously, watching her face.

"Freya told me to get pockets. I thought she was joking, and she didn't press it. Did she know? Did she know this would happen?" Donna demanded, turning to the Doctor.

"No. She had no way of knowing. That was probably a lower level psychic ability. It seems to be peeking out of her subconscious. Possibly the baby. More than likely the baby," the Doctor said.

"Her baby can see the future and gives her hints?!" Donna screeched.

"Not really….sort of….well, there's a high probability that that is what is happening," the Doctor rambled.

"Oi! Shut it! Quit distracting me! I've got to get to my wedding! No stupid Martian is going to stop me from getting married! To hell with you!" Donna declared before turning and running.

"I'm not…I'm not…I'm not from Mars!" the Doctor sputtered from behind her as he chased her.

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Freya was startled when her phone started vibrating. She didn't recognize the number but didn't waste a second in answering it.

"Hello?" she asked quickly.

"Freya?" Donna's voice was filled with relief. Tears sprang into Freya's eyes.

"Donna? Are you alright? Where are you? I'm coming to get you," Freya said immediately.

"No. I'm coming to you. Did…did I miss the wedding?" Donna asked, her voice quiet.

"Yeah. Oh Donna, I'm so sorry. We're at the reception hall now. I'm waiting outside for you. Marie popped in for a quick drink. Masen and James are out looking for you," Freya explained. She heard another sob from the phone.

"Donna? Please, are you okay? You aren't hurt, are you? What happened? Who's number is this?" Freya asked her, begging for an answer.

"I swiped it off a man like you did when you lost your phone two weeks ago. I'll turn it into the police station like we did later. I…" Donna drifted off and then screamed.

"DONNA?" Freya shouted into the phone, listening carefully.

"The cab driver, he's some sort of robot thing! The car door's locked!" Donna sobbed into the phone.

"Where is it heading? I'm coming for you," Freya promised. Donna rambled off some street signs as Freya took off for Marie's car. Marie saw her frantic look as she walked outside and tossed Freya the keys.

"I'm going to save Donna. Call the boys, tell them I'm going after her," Freya told Marie quickly as she started the car and pulled out. She put the phone on speaker and sat it down as she drove as quickly as she could through the streets.

"Freya! Dear God, I'm losing my mind!" Donna shouted.

"Donna, keep talking to me. Please. Are you still heading the same direction?" Freya asked her.

"Yes. You have got to be kidding me," Donna's tone changed.

"What's going on?" Freya asked anxiously.

"I've got to go. I'll tell you where I'm at?" Donna said before hanging up.

"Donna? No!" Freya shouted. She glanced down to redial Donna's number when a horn honked at her. Freya glanced up and jerked the car out of the way, barely avoiding being hit by another car.

The swerve nearly threw her into oncoming traffic. She only barely managed to correct herself in time. She pulled off immediately, parking the car along the side of the road as she gasped for air. She reached for the phone but her hands were shaking too badly to pick the phone up.

Freya closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the steering wheel, trying to regulate her breathing. She'd nearly killed herself because she'd taken her eyes off the road for a second.

She had to get to Donna, but she didn't trust herself to drive at the moment. She didn't notice five charms from the bracelet dissolving.

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The Doctor came out of the TARDIS carrying a fire extinguisher. Donna stared at him, part of her wanting to make a snide remark, the other part feeling the weight of exhaustion and depression settling in on her.

"I can't believe you made me jump out of that cab," Donna said blankly. The Doctor shrugged, still staring at his ship.

"The funny thing is, for a spaceship, she doesn't really do that much flying. We'd bettered give her a couple of hours…you alright?" the Doctor asked her. Donna sighed.

"Doesn't matter," Donna said.

"Did we miss it?" the Doctor asked sympathetically.

"Yeah," Donna sighed.

"Well, you can book another date," the Doctor suggested.

"Yeah….wait," Donna stopped. She glanced down at the phone she'd been playing with. She'd just hung up on Freya, who'd been searching for her? Freya hadn't even tried calling the number back. Donna's blood went cold as she quickly tried calling Freya back.

"'ello?" Freya's sleepy voice caught Donna's ears. Donna relaxed at hearing her voice.

"Where are you? Are you okay?" Donna asked. The Doctor sat down next to her, eyeing her immediately, leaning a bit closer.

"Sorry. Pulled over. Almost got into a car accident and it shook me up…oh," Freya's voice was quiet. The Doctor stiffened though at her words.

"Where are you?" Donna demanded.

"Um…outside the Shoe Lane building," Freya said.

"We're on top of it. Meet us at the top?" Donna asked.

"Sure. Who's us?" Freya asked.

"See you soon!" Donna said before swiftly hanging up.

"That was Freya. That was my wife. My wife's on her way up," the Doctor said before leaping to his feet. He tried pulling the TARDIS doors open but they wouldn't budge.

He then started digging around in his pockets.

"What're you doing?" Donna demanded, standing alongside him.

He pulled out what looked like a compact mirror and opened it, staring at it intently before trying to fix his hair. Donna couldn't help but laugh at him.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"Vain much?" she scoffed.

"I want to look good. Why was she outside of this building? That's a pretty big coincidence," the Doctor said suddenly, looking up.

"She said she almost got into a car accident so she pulled over," Donna said, pushing down any apprehension.

"What?" the Doctor asked immediately. Before his eyes focused on the phone.

"And where did you get a phone from? I thought you didn't have one?" the Doctor asked her.

"Pickpocketed it before getting in the cab. Freya showed me how to do it when we forgot her phone at home while shopping. We had to call James to come get us, so she stole a phone. As soon as James arrived, we drove to the police station and dropped it off, saying we'd found it on the street," Donna said.

"Freya…pickpocketed?" the Doctor asked in shock. Donna waved it off.

"We left it with ten quid, saying we'd found it with the phone. Payment enough for one phone call," Donna said with a shrug.

"She said oh. What does that mean? Is she hurt?" the Doctor asked anxiously.

"I don't know. God you're impatient. Give her a few minutes and she'll be up here and you can ask her yourself. After you grovel, that is," Donna said, crossing her arms as she glared at him.

"Grovel?" the Doctor asked, confused.

"Yes. Grovel. You left her alone for at least three months. You'd bettered have the best apology ever if you really plan on her not asking for a divorce in her first breath," Donna warned him

The Doctor looked properly horrified at her words as Donna marched towards the door. As soon as she made it to the door, it burst open and Freya threw herself at Donna.

"Thank God you're safe! I was so scared something'd happened to you!" Freya exclaimed, gripping Donna tightly.

"You don't have to strangle the life out of me, you know," Donna complained, but her complaint had a tone of laughter to it. Freya pulled back, smiling at Donna.

"What happened? Why are you on a roof?" Freya asked curiously.

Donna didn't say anything, just stepped aside so Freya could see the Doctor.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He stared at her as if he wasn't sure she was really there. Like she was an illusion.

"Doctor?" Freya asked quietly, not wanting to speak too loudly. She glanced over to see the TARDIS was there too. She took a step towards the TARDIS, pressing her hand against the door. She could hear the humming of the TARDIS inside.

It wasn't a dream. The Doctor was really and truly there.

Before she could even make the first step towards him, she was engulfed in his arms.

"I thought I'd lost you," the Doctor murmured as he gripped her tightly to him.

"I thought you were never going to come back," Freya admitted as well. The Doctor pulled back slightly, keeping her firmly in his arms.

"I'll always come back for you. I didn't know you were still here. I thought you were trapped, with Rose and Jackie," the Doctor said mournfully.

"I'm not," Freya said.

"Not that this isn't sweet, but is there anything else we can do? I don't wanna see sappy when I just missed my wedding," Donna complained. Freya pulled away from the Doctor, but the Doctor didn't release her hand as Freya pulled Donna into another hug.

"Oh Donna, I'm so sorry. Everyone's at the reception hall right now. Everything'll be alright," Freya promised her.

"How can you know that?" Donna asked. Freya just smiled at her.

"Because you're amazing. That's how," Freya told her. Donna merely scoffed at the words but said nothing to contradict them.

"Are you cold?" Freya asked Donna worriedly. The Doctor took that moment to look at Freya, who herself looked as though she would be cold. He took off his jacket but before he could put it on Freya, she'd handed it to Donna. Donna sat down, the jacket over her shoulders. Freya sat next to her and the Doctor next to Freya.

"God, you're skinny. This wouldn't fit a rat," Donna complained, glancing at the Doctor.

"Oh, and you'd bettered put this on," the Doctor said, handing Donna a ring.

"Do you have to rub it in?" Donna asked. Freya glared at the Doctor for a moment, hoping he had some sort of reasonable explanation as to why he was giving Donna a ring.

"Those creatures can trace you. This is a biodamper. Should keep you hidden. With this ring, I the bio-damp," the Doctor said with a grin.

"For better or for worse," Donna said with a sigh.

"So come on then. Robot santas, what are they for?" Donna asked. Freya stiffened at her words.

"The Robot Santas are back?" she asked the Doctor in alarm.

"They're your basic robo scavenger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They're trying to blend in. We met them last Christmas," the Doctor explained.

"What happened then?" Donna asked curiously.

"Great big spaceship hovering over London? You didn't notice?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.

"She was hungover," Freya said. She'd already tried seeing how much Donna had known when they'd first met.

"We spent Christmas Day just over there, the Powell Estate, with this family. Freya's family, it was. Still is, I guess. Gone now though," the Doctor said sadly. Freya felt her own sadness welling up inside of her at the thought. The first people she'd ever thought of as a real family and they were gone now. And even her father was dead. Her mother had never even made an effort to contact her.

She hadn't even told Freya when the funeral was.

"Question is, what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you? And how did you get inside the TARDIS? I don't know. What's your job?" the Doctor asked Donna. Freya was confused. Donna had disappeared from the wedding and appeared in the TARDIS? No wonder the Doctor was confused. She had no clue as to how that could happen, and it was obvious that the Doctor did not either.

"I'm a secretary," Donna said. The Doctor pulled out his sonic and began scanning her with it.

"It's weird. I mean, you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important," the Doctor said, waving her off.

"Doctor!" Freya said in shock, staring at him.

"I don't know how you put up with him," Donna complained to Freya, but Freya could see the hurt in her face. Freya immediately pulled Donna in for a hug, glaring at the Doctor.

"What?" the Doctor asked her, confused.

"Everyone's important. Haven't you said that before? Are you forgetting that? Donna is just as important as anyone else is. She's more important than anyone else to me, because she's my friend. She was the only person who managed to get me out of my depression from being stuck here," Freya said, glaring at the Doctor. He stared at her, mouth gaping. He managed to close his mouth after a few minutes.

"What kind of secretary are you?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm at HC Clements. It's where I met Lance, my soon-to-be husband. I was temping," Donna said dreamily. Freya smiled at her. She'd heard the story a few times, and she'd even witnessed some of it.

"I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought I'm never going to fit in here. And then he made me a coffee. I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee. And Lance, he's the head of HR! He don't need to bother with me! But he was nice, he was funny," Donna said dreamily.

"Bit thick though. Easy to order around," Freya joked, earning a grin from Donna.

"And it turns out, he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him. One cup of coffee. That was it," Donna said.

"When was this?" the Doctor asked.

"About six months ago," Freya answered for Donna.

"Bit quick to get married," the Doctor pointed out.

"Well, he insisted," Donna said, earning a laugh from Freya. She'd heard from everyone about how much he had insisted. Lance himself in one of the three times he'd actually spoken to Freya had told her the story.

"And he nagged, and he nagged me. And he just wore me down. And then finally, I just gave in," Donna said with a sigh.

"What does HC Clements do?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh, security systems. You know, entry codes, ID cards, that sort of thing. If you ask me, it's a posh name for locksmiths," Donna said with a wave.

"Keys," the Doctor mouthed.

"They're under Torchwood. Masen works with them a bit," Freya added. The Doctor nodded, thoughtfully, although

"Anyway, enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences. Oh, this is going to be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian boy," Donna said, standing up.

"Yeah, I'm not from Mars," the Doctor said, but Donna wasn't listening.

"Oh, I had this great big reception all planned. Everyone's going to be heartbroken."

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Freya could hear the music as soon as they got out of the car and she shot a worried look at Donna, who hadn't seemed to notice it. Donna pushed the doors open, only to see the reception going as planned, only without her.

It broke Freya's heart to see it. It was as if no one cared Donna wasn't there. Who would do that? Masen, Marie and James were sitting in a corner, looking miserable. The three of them leapt to their feet at the sight of Freya, Donna, and the Doctor.

"You had the reception without me?" Donna asked in shock as everyone stopped and stared at her.

"Donna, what happened to you?" Lance asked.

"You had the reception without me?" Donna asked, the hurt leaking more into her voice than it had before.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said cheerfully as Freya put her arm around Donna.

"They had the reception without me," Donna told us in shock.

"Yes, we gathered," the Doctor said, earning a glare from Freya.

"Well, it was all paid for. Why not?" Donna's friend Nerys asked. Freya hated Nerys. She sent a glare her direction.

"Thank you, Nerys," Donna said sarcastically.

"Well, what were we supposed to do? We heard nothing from you. What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick, because I'd love to know," Donna's mother pointed out angrily as everyone started talking. Donna's eyes widened as everyone tried to get her attention.

"I'm gonna swoon," Freya warned Donna before rolling her eyes back and falling to the side, pretending to pass out. The Doctor gripped her only milliseconds before she collided with the ground, lowering her slowly.

And then Donna burst into tears.

Freya cracked an eye open to see everyone staring at the crying Donna as Lance hugged her. Everyone burst into applause except for Nerys and the Doctor. Donna moved away from them as Freya sat up.

"You faked that?" the Doctor asked her, eyes wide.

"I was trying to get the attention off of Donna. Did it work?" Freya asked him.

"Yeah. They stopped and stared at you and then she started crying. It was a great diversion," the Doctor said as James arrived at her side.

"Freya! Are you alright?" he asked, helping her to her feet instantly, not even sparing the Doctor a second glance.

"I'm fine," she told James, who grabbed her hand, examining her charm bracelet.

Her charm bracelet that was left with two lone charms on it now.

"This had about ten charms on it when we left for the wedding," James said sternly.

"I almost got into a car accident. It scared me a bit," Freya admitted.

"It doesn't matter. The TARDIS'll make her a few more," the Doctor said. James glanced up and glared hard at the Doctor.

"What are you doing here?" he spat. Masen put his arm on James's shoulder, holding him firmly back as Marie stepped forward. She patted James's arm before turning and punching the Doctor right in the face. Freya was thankful no one was watching them now.

The Doctor managed to stumble forward, clutching his face with a look of bewilderment on his face.

"You arsehole! It's been months! Where the hell have you been?" Marie demanded.

"Searching for a supernova I could blow up so I could say goodbye to Freya in the alternate world," the Doctor told her. Freya froze at his words. Marie and Masen were also staring at him, while James just rolled his eyes.

"What?" Freya asked him.

"I needed power to get through the last of the cracks in the universe. I thought you were trapped there, and there was nothing I could do. So I was going to at least tell you goodbye," the Doctor told her.

"So you were hoping to tell her you were burning up a sun just to say goodbye? You can't tell me you didn't prepare that line ahead of time," James said, crossing his arms.

"It's okay. Everyone. It's fine. He's here now. That's what matters," Freya said, trying to calm everyone down.

"That's all that matters? Are you kidding me? He nearly broke you!" Marie all but shouted at the Doctor. He winced at her words.

"But he didn't. I'm fine. I got to make new friends. I got to be in your wedding. I wouldn't have been able to do that if I'd been with him. And we're together now, the baby's still healthy. Everything's fine. Except Donna," Freya said, glancing over at where Donna was dancing happily with Lance.

"Yes. Donna. What's going on with Donna? And what does Torchwood have to do with it? I thought you guys were finished? You guys are the reason I lost three months with Freya," the Doctor said, glaring at Masen.

"I don't know. I'm not high enough for it. I heard HC Clements was trying to manufacture particles, but as to why I haven't the slightest," Masen said.

"The gold particles from the TARDIS. The ones that make up its heart, the ones that followed me around. What are they called? That's what it looked like, at the wedding," Freya remembered. The Doctor's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No. It can't be. Those are Huon particles. You had to have seen something wrong," the Doctor told Freya, but Freya could tell it wasn't because he thought she was wrong.

It was because he was hoping she was wrong.

"I'm fairly certain it was," Freya said, grabbing the Doctor's hands and placing them on the side of her forehead as she recalled the image of what had happened to the front of her head. It felt wondrous to have the Doctor inside her head again.

Baby Bad Wolf did flips in Freya's stomach in contentness at the feeling of fullness, having him in their heads once more.

"Those are Huon particles," the Doctor said quietly, hands still in place.

"Oi! Separate!" Marie demanded, pulling them apart. Freya winced at the lack of the Doctor in her mind once more.

"Something's not right about them being Huon particles. Why do you not want them to be Huon particles? You told me before they were deadly," Freya said, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Huon energy doesn't exist anymore, not for billions of hyears. So old that it…it can't be hidden by a bio-damper!" the Doctor exclaimed in horror as he grabbed Freya's hand and pulled her along toward the door. They make it outside to see a band of Robot Santas approaching. The Doctor pulled her back inside immediately.

"Donna! Donna, they've found you!" the Doctor shouted as they reentered the hall. Donna pulled away from Lance, wide-eyed.

"But you said I was safe!" she argued.

"The bio-damper doesn't work. We've got to get everyone out!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"My God, it's all my family," Donna said in realization as James and Masen tried getting everyone's attention. The Doctor pulled the two of them towards the back door, where there are already robots waiting. They then glanced out the windows, seeing that they were surrounded.

"Doctor, what are we going to do?" Freya asked worriedly. The Doctor was still staring at the robots. Freya glanced back at them to see one of them lift a remote control.

"Christmas trees," the Doctor said, only for Freya's eyes to widen in horror.

"What about them?" Donna asked, glancing between the Doctor, Freya, and the robot Santas.

"They kill. Get away from the trees!" the Doctor shouted. Masen's eyes widened in horror and him and Marie started directing people away from the trees as well, remembering what had happened last Christmas with the trees.

"Don't touch the trees!" Donna shouted as well, joining in despite not knowing what was going on.

"Get away from the Christmas trees! Everyone get away from them! Everyone stay away from the trees!" the Doctor shouted as Freya, Masen, Marie, and Donna all echoed him. James stared at the lot of them like they were crazy but was inching away from the Christmas trees as well.

"Oh for God's sakes, the man's an idiot. Why? What harm's a Christmas tree going to…oh," she stopped as the plastic baubles started floating off of the tree before starting to fly around, exploding when they came in contact with something. Donna ducked under a table, as did Lance. Masen was quickly shoving Marie under the same table before he climbed under as well.

Freya found herself protectively wedged between James and the Doctor, both of which seemed hell-bent on keeping her as safe as possible. The Doctor's eyes were darting about before ladnign on the sound system. The Doctor leapt over to it, James following while gripping Freya tightly behind him.

"Oi! Santa! Word of advice! If you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver, don't let him near the sound system!" he shouted before jamming the sonic screwdriver into the deck. The frankly alarming pitch that came from it nearly shattered Freya's eardrums at the loud sound as James quickly covered her ears.

The Robots all but exploded at the sudden noise.

Donna was up in an instant, trying to make sure everyone was alright. The Doctor's hand slipped into Freya's automatically, ignoring James's presence altogether, much to James's irritation.

"Look at that. Remote control for the decorations, but there's a second remote control for the robots. They're not scavengers anymore. I think someone's taken a possession," the Doctor mused as he examined the controls he'd found.

"Never mind all that. You're a doctor. People have been hurt," Donna pointed out angrily.

"Nah. They wanted you alive. See?" the Doctor said as he threw a bauble at Donna. It did nothing but bounce off of her, but Freya still winced.

"Please don't do that ever again," Freya pleaded with the Doctor, who hesitated but nodded nonetheless.

"They're not active now," the Doctor said.

"All I'm saying, you could help," Donna began once more, only for James to scoff.

"He never helps. He just ups and leaves. Does it all the time. Never waits around for the consequences," James said bitterly. The Doctor turned and fixed an icy glare on James, only to stop when Freya stepped in between them.

"Please. Let's just get along long enough to figure this all out, yeah?" she asked. Neither man said anything until the Doctor shook his head.

"We need to think of the bigger picture. Oh! There's still a signal!" he exclaimed, glancing down at the device in his hands before bouncing off, dragging Freya along behind him.

"There's someone behind this, directing the roboforms," the Doctor explained as they ran.

"But why is it me? What have I done?" Donna complained, worry etched on her face.

"If we find the controller, we'll find that out. Oh! It's up there. Something in the sky," the Doctor said, stopping and staring upward as an ambulance pulled up outside of the reception hall.

"I've lost the signal. Donna, we've got to get to your office. HC Clements. I think that's where it all started. Lance! Is it Lance? Lance, can you give me a lift?" the Doctor asked.

"We can drive you there," Marie said, huffing as she caught up.

"No, you lot can stay here and keep things under control," the Doctor ordered.

"We're not just going to stay behind like pets," James said, crossing his arms angrily.

"We can't take an entire gang to secretly investigate something!" the Doctor said, exasperated.

"So it's fine for you and Freya to go off wreaking havoc but the moment anyone else want so join it's not allowed?" Masen added in.

"We really do need someone to keep this under control. We'll bring James along," Freya suggested, smiling at the three of them. When she turned to see the Doctor, he was scowling at James, who seemed entirely too happy.

"Fine. Allons-y!" the Doctor shouted, pulling Freya and Donna with him after Lance. James followed closely behind.

As soon as they were in the car, Donna let out a laugh.

"Someone's jealous," she sang.

"Jealous?" Freya asked, confused.

"Oh yeah. That husband of yours is jealous of James and how close you are," Donna said with a grin. Freya was about to argue with her until she caught a glimpse of the Doctor's glare at James.

"Really? You're really jealous of James? He's my best friend, other than Donna," Freya said.

"I didn't abandon her," James added smugly.

"I was trying to keep her safe. And he already admitted to still loving you," the Doctor pointed out.

"When was that?" Freya asked, confused. She didn't remember hearing James say anything of the sort.

"In the Alternate World. Pete's World," the Doctor huffed.

"That was months ago, Doctor. He's not trying to steal me from you," Freya told him soothingly.

"Good. Because she's married to me," the Doctor said, shooting a glare at James. James shrugged, staring at him.

"Only until 2012. Remember that? You guys got married in 2012, her to a James McCrimmon. Bettered not abandon her in that year," James goaded.

"Boys, please. Stop this. We have more important things to worry about, like Donna's safety," Freya interrupted the two of them as Lance pulled up outside of an imposing-looking building. The lot of them piled out and scrambled into the building, Lance opening the doors with his ID.

"To you lot this might just be a locksmiths, but HC Clements was brought up twenty-three years ago by the Torchwood Institute," the Doctor said.

"When did you find the years out?" Freya asked him quietly.

"He swiped my phone and was googling on it," James supplied, looking anything but amused. The Doctor just shrugged his words off.

"Sorry, who are they?" Donna asked, obviously not liking being left out of knowing.

"They were behind the battle of Canary Wharf. Cyberman invasion. Skies over London full of Daleks?" the Doctor asked when Donna just continued to stare blankly at him.

"She missed it," Freya told him.

"Oh, right, I was in Spain," Donna remembered with a smile.

"They had Cybermen in Spain," the Doctor said, staring at her as if she were stupid.

"Scuba diving," Donna said with a shrug.

"The big picture, Donna. You keep missing it. Torchwood was destroyed…well, most of it…but HC Clements stayed in business. I think someone else came in and took over the operation," the Doctor guessed.

"I could have told you all that," James said with a scowl. The Doctor's scowl was almost identical.

"But what does all this have to do with me? What do they want with me?" Donna asked. Lance was just staring at them all with wide eyes.

"Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy. And that's a problem, because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark Times. The only place you'd find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See? That's what happened. Say, that's the TARDIS," the Doctor said, plucking a coffee mug off of a random desk.

"And this is you," he continued, grabbing a pencil.

"Enough with the dramatics," James muttered, but Freya shushed him.

"The particles inside you activated. The two sets of particles magnetized and whap!" the Doctor shouted, dropping the pencil in the mug.

"You were pulled inside the TARDIS," Freya finished for him, gathering what he was saying.

"I'm a pencil inside a mug?" Donna asked, looking quite forlorn at that conclusion.

"Yes, you are. 4H. Sums you up," the Doctor said.

"Don't listen to him, Donna. You're so much more than that," Freya said, wrapping an arm around Donna.

"Lance? What was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?" the Doctor questioned him.

"I don't know. I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager. Why am I even explaining myself? What the hell are we talking about?" Lance asked.

The Doctor threw himself at a computer, getting to work on it immediately. He pulls up a plan of the building in no time.

"They make keys, and look at this. We're on the third floor," the Doctor pointed out. He stood and pulled Freya with him to the lift, Donna, James, and Lance following closely behind them.

"Underneath reception, there's a basement, yes? Then how come when you look on the lift, there's a button marked lower basement? There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans. So what's down there, then?" the Doctor asked. Lance looked slightly spooked but something about him didn't quite sit right with Freya.

"Are you telling me this building's got a secret floor?" Lance asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

"No, I'm showing you this building's got a secret floor," the Doctor said as he pointed to it once more.

"It needs a key," Donna pointed out.

"I don't," the Doctor said smugly as he sonicked the key slot.

"Right then, Thanks, you two. I can handle this. See you later. James, get Freya back to the party," the Doctor said.

"No chance, Martian. You're the man who keeps saving my life. I ain't letting you out of my sight," Donna said.

"And you can't expect me to just leave you after only just getting back with you once more," Freya protested. She didn't move from the lift. Only Lance stood outside, unsure.

"Going down," the Doctor said as Donna stared at Lance expectantly.

"Lance?" she asked.

"Maybe I should go get the police," Lance suggested, only to be shot with a Donna Noble glare.

"Inside," Donna ordered as Lance scampered inside.

"To honor and obey?" the Doctor asked drily.

"Tell me about it, mate," Lance said.

"Oi!" Donna protested.

"I didn't know you had such a problem with marriage. I'm sure our son will be displeased to learn that his father didn't appreciate the ceremony he gave us," Freya pointed out.

"I don't want to think about that right now. Makes my head spin," the Doctor pointed out. Freya turned to Donna.

"Our son married us. And he was older than us at the time," Freya informed Donna, who just stared at him in shock.

"How?" she asked in disbelief.

"Time travel," James said gruffly. The lift opened into an eerily lit basement corridor.

"Of course it can't be bright and cheery," James complained as they stepped out.

"Where are we? Well, what goes on down here?" Donna demanded, glancing about.

"Let's find out," the Doctor said, almost bristling with excitement as his hand slipped into Freya's.

"Do you think Mister Clements knows about his place?" Donna asked.

"I'm certain Mr. Clements is a part of it. Look at that," James said, pointing towards some sort of odd stand up wheeled cart things. The Doctor tugged him and Freya onto one, and Lance and Donna got on another while James took the third on his own.

They took off on them down the hallways until they reached a bulkhead door labelled Torchwood, Authorized Personnel Only. The Doctor wasted no time in turning the wheel, opening it to reveal a ladder.

"Wait here. Just need to get my bearings. Don't do anything," the Doctor said.

"You'd bettered come back," Freya said quietly. The Doctor gave her a short kiss on the lips, his first one he'd given her in three months, before starting up the ladder.

"I wouldn't dream of leaving you here," he told her earnestly.

"Donna, have you thought about this? Properly? I mean, this is serious! What the hell are we going to do?" Lance asked Donna furiously.

"Oh, I though July," Donna suggested casually. Freya almost laughed at Donna's one track mind. The Doctor was back with them in a minute.

"Thames flood barrier right on top of us. Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath," the Doctor announced.

"What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?" Donna asked in disbelief.

"Oh, I know. Unheard of," the Doctor said, winking at Freya. Freya could only laugh. Rose had told her before about how the first time she'd met the Doctor, they went under the London Eye. That was where Freya had rescued them from.

The group of them continued making their way through the tunnels, ending up in what looked to be a laboratory.

"Oh! Look at this! Stunning!" the Doctor said, rushing about. James looked almost as thrilled, although he held himself back a bit as he examined things as well.

"What does it do?" Donna asked the Doctor, staring at what he seemed enamored by.

"Particle extrusion. Hold on. Brilliant! They've been manufacturing Huon particles. Course, my people got rid of Huons. They unravel the atomic structure," the Doctor said simply.

"Your people? Who are they? What company do you represent?" Lance asked, almost nervously now.

"Oh, I'm a freelancer. But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river. Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result, Huon particles in liquid form," the Doctor said excitedly.

"And that's what's inside of me?" Donna asked, looking a bit green at the thought. The Docotr turned a knob on the counter and the liquid started glowing.

So did Donna.

"Oh my God!" Donna exclaimed in horror.

"Genius. Because the particles are inert, they need something living to catalyse inside and that's you. Saturate the body," James added in, looking just as intrigued and excited as the Doctor.

"And the wedding! Yes, you're getting married, that's it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle. Oh! You're body's a battleground. There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, Acetylcholine. Wham goes the endorphins. Oh, you're cooking! Yeah, you're like a walking oven. A pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away. The partilces reach boiling point. Shazam!" the Doctor shouted excitedly as Donna slapped him.

"What did I do this time?" the Doctor asked, turning to Freya for an explanation.

"That was very rude, dear," Freya informed him.

"Are you enjoying this? Right, just tell me. These particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?" Donna asked.

"Yes," the Doctor said automatically.

"Probably not, but you will be," Freya corrected him.

"Your lot got rid of Huon particles. Why did they do that?" Donna asked curiously.

"Because they're deadly," the Doctor said simply, only to get lightly slapped by Freya.

"Oh my God," Donna gasped.

"We'll sort this out, Donna. He'll reverse it. I'm not about to lose any more friends or family," Freya said vehemently.

"Oh, she is long since lost," an eerie voice said, echoing throughout the room.

"I have waited so long, hibernating at the edge of the universe until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken!" the voice cried out as Lance took off running. Robots moved towards them, guns aimed at them. James and the Doctor both pushed Freya behind them protectively, and Freya pulled Donna along with her behind them.

"Someone's been digging. Oh, very Torchwood. Drilled by laser. How far down does it go?" the Doctor wondered as he stared down a hole in the corner of the room.

"Down and down, all the way to the center of the Earth," the voice said ominously.

"Really? What for?" James said sarcastically, glancing around.

"Dinosaurs," Donna guessed.

"What?" the Doctor asked, staring at her in confusion.

"Why dinosaurs?" Freya wondered.

"That film, Under the Earth, with dinosaurs. Trying to help," Donna said quietly.

"You're really not," James said sarcastically before Donna sent a glare at him.

"Such sweet couples," the voice hissed.

"We're not a couple," James said immediately, glaring at Donna who sent her a glare right back.

"Only a madman talks to thin air and trust me, you don't want to make me mad. Where are you?" the Doctor asked angrily.

"High in the sky. Floating so high on Christmas night," the voice said.

"I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom. Come on, let's have a look at you!" the Doctor ordered.

"Who are you with such command?" the voice wondered aloud.

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said.

"Prepare your best medicine, doctor man, for you will be sick at heart," the voice said. A light flashed in the room and a giant spider appeared in the middle of the room. Freya was barely able to contain her scream as she gripped Donna's arm tightly.

"Racnoss? But that's impossible. You're one of the Racnoss?" the Doctor said in disbelief.

"Empress of the Racnoss," the spider bragged as Lance climbed a ladder and took off running.

"If you're the Empress, where's the rest of the Racnoss? Or, are you the only one?" the Doctor taunted.

"Such a sharp mind," the Racnoss taunted.

"That's it, the last of your kind. The Racnoss come from the Dark Times, billions of years ago. Billions. They were carnivores, omnivores. They devour whole planets," the Doctor said angrily.

"Racnoss are born starving. Is that our fault?" the Empress asked.

"It is when you don't control what you eat, who you kill in the process," James said angrily, stepping up alongside the Doctor.

"They eat people?" Donna squeaked.

"HC Clements, did he wear those, er, black and white shoes?" the Doctor asked Donna, eyes glued to a spiderweb in the corner of the room.

"He did. We used to laugh. We used to call him the fat cat in spats," Donna said with a laugh.

Freya's eyes finally landed on what the Doctor had been focused so intently on. There was a dead man in the web, with those shoes. The Doctor pointed at them and Donna gasped.

"Oh my God," Donna said in horror.

"Mm. My Christmas dinner," the Racnoss bragged.

"You shouldn't even exist. Way back in history, the fledgling Empires went to war against the Racnoss. They were wiped out," the Doctor explained. Freya's eyes drifted to where Lance was on a balcony above the Racnoss. He made a shushing gesture towards them.

"Except for me," the Racnoss bragged.

"But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing. Oi! Look at me, lady, I'm talking!" Donna shouted at the Racnoss.

"Where do I fit in? How come I get all stacked up with these Huon particles? Look at me, you! Look me in the eye and tell me!" Donna shouted as Lance moved closer.

"The bride is so feisty," the Racnoss crooned as Lance snuck up closer with a fire axe.

"Yes, I am! And I don't know what you are, you big thing, but a spider's just a spider and an axe is an axe! Now, do it!" Donna shouted to Lance. Lance swung the axe but stopped as the Racnoss turned and hissed at him.

And Lance started laughing, the Racnoss joining in with her. Freya's heart sank.

"That was a good one. Your face," Lance laughed.

"Lance is funny," the Racnoss said.

"What?" Donna asked, shocked.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said. Freya wrapped her arms tightly around Donna.

"Sorry for what? Lance, don't be so stupid! Get her!" Donna shouted.

"God, she's thick. Months I've had to put up with her. Months. A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map," Lance complained.

"I don't understand," Donna said slowly.

"How did you meet him?" the Doctor asked Donna.

"In the office," Donna repeated what she'd told him earlier.

"He made you coffee," Freya realized in horror.

"What?" Donna asked in confusion.

"Every day, I made you coffee," Lance scoffed.

"You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months," the Doctor said sadly.

"He was poisoning me," Donna realized in horror.

"It was all there in the job title. The Head of Human Resources," the Doctor explained.

"This time, it's personnel," Lance said with a cruel laugh.

"But we were getting married," Donna said pitifully. Lance laughed hollowly at her.

"Well, I couldn't risk you running off. I had to say yes. And then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavor Pringles. Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap yap yap. Oh, Brad and Angelina. Is Posh pregnant? X Factor, Atkins Diet, Feng Shui, split ends, text me, text me, text me. Dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia. I deserve a medal," Lance scoffed.

"You deserve a well-placed punch in the face," Freya said coldly, glaring at him.

"Is that what she offered you, the Empress of the Racnoss? What are you, her consort?" the Doctor asked in disgust.

"It's better than a night with her," Lance said with a sniff.

"But I love you," Donna said pitifully. Freya pulled Donna into a tight hug.

"That's what made it easy. It's like you said, Doctor. The big picture. What's the point of it all if the human race is nothing? That's what the Empress can give me. The chance to go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Doctor?" Lance reasoned with him.

"He might have, had you not twisted it all around," James said coldly.

"Who is this little physician?" the Racnoss asked curiously.

"She said Martian," Lance said, jerking her thumb towards Donna.

"Oh, I'm sort of homeless. But the point is, what's down there. The Racnoss are extinct. What's going to help you four thousand miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, isn't it?" the Doctor wondered.

"I think he wants us to talk," Lance said with a glance at the Racnoss.

"I think so, too," the Empress stated.

"Well, tough. All we need is Donna," Lance said with a grin.

"Kill this chattering little doctor man," the Racnoss ordered.

"Don't you hurt him!" Donna shouted, pulling away from Freya instantly.

"No, no, Donna. It's all right," the Doctor reassured her before turning his best Oncoming Storm glare on the Empress Racnoss.

"No! I won't let them!" Donna shouted as she moved in front of him. James quickly pulled Freya behind the Doctor, effectively piling them all directly behind Donna. Only the Doctor stepped out of the way.

"At arms!" the Empress said as the robots lifted their guns, pointing them at the Doctor.

"Ah now. Except…" the Doctor tried saying, only for the Racnoss to cut him off.

"Take aim!" she shouted.

"Well, I just want to point out the obvious," the Doctor said, gesturing to Donna who was still right next to him.

"They won't hit the bride. They're such very good shots," the Racnoss bragged happily.

"Just, just, just, just, just hold on! Hold on just a tick. Just a tiny little, just a little tick. If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So reverse it, and the spaceship comes to her," the Doctor said, turning the knob on the Huon container immediately.

"Fire!" the Empress Racnoss ordered as the TARDIS materialized around them. The Doctor sighed and bound around the console.

"Right! Off we go," he said. Freya's eyes widened at his words.

"You aren't just going to…to leave, are you?" Freya asked worriedly. The Doctor glanced up at her, confused.

"Of course we are. We have to see what is in the center of the Earth," the Doctor said, puzzled. Freya breathed out a sigh of relief before settling down on the pilot seat.

"What? Oh. You thought I was going to leave for good and just abandon the city. Do you think I do that often now?" the Doctor wondered.

"I don't know. I don't know how long it's been for you. It's been three months for me. Things have changed. People change," Freya pointed out uncomfortably.

"Never that. I would never leave people in danger if I could do something to help them," the Doctor swore to her.

"How do you plan on finding out what's in the center of the Earth? If it's dangerous, we're not just going to waltz down there to have a look," James pointed out.

"No. Whatever it is, it must've been there since the beginning. We're going to go back and watch the beginning of the Earth," the Doctor said with a manic grin.

"What? How can we do that?" Donna questioned him.

"You didn't tell her the TARDIS is a time machine as well as a spaceship?" Freya asked the Doctor in disbelief.

"I was a bit busy, freaking out about seeing you again," the Doctor admitted guiltily. Freya sighed and scooted over, patting the seat next to her. Donna tentatively sat down next to her.

"The ship, right? Her name's the TARDIS. It means Time and Relative Dimension in Space. She travels in space and time," Freya told Donna.

"That's not the way to ease someone into it," James pointed out, crossing his arms.

"After today, I think I've been sufficiently eased into anything," Donna retorted sharply.

"Here we are!" the Doctor shouted, making his way to the door. He stopped at the doorway, turning to them.

"Want to see?" the Doctor asked Donna, giving her a small smile before winking at Freya.

"I suppose," Donna said somewhat miserably.

"Come on then. No human's ever seen this before. You'll be the first," the Doctor urged her.

"All I want to see is my bed," Donna moaned.

"And you will, after we save London," Freya promised her. Donna still stood and made her way over to the Doctor, where he threw the doors open.

"Donna Noble, welcome to the creation of the Earth," he said happily. Freya glanced over Donna's shoulders, watching the lumps of rock that were floating around. She could see the sun in the distances.

It was magnificent.

"We've gone back four point six billion years. There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas. That's the Sun, over there. Brand new. Just beginning to burn," the Doctor explained.

"Where's the Earth?" Donna asked in confusion, glancing around.

"All around us in the dust," the Doctor told her.

"Puts the wedding into perspective. Lance was right. We're just tiny," Donna said sadly.

"No, but that's what you do. The human race makes sense out of chaos. Marking it out by weddings and Christmas and calendars. This whole process is beautiful, but only if it's being observed," the Doctor explained.

"So I came out of all of this?" Donna asked, gesturing to the sky.

"Isn't that brilliant?" the Doctor asked her happily. He threw his arm around Freya, pulling her into his side.

"It looks like lumps of rock to me," James said before grinning at the fowl look the Doctor shot him.

"I think that's the Isle of Wight," Donna joked weakly, pointing ag a large rock that drifted right by the TARDIS.

"Eventually, gravity takes hold. Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in. Everything, piling in until you get…" the Doctor drifted off, nodding to Donna.

"The Earth," she finished automatically, still staring about, eyes widening a bit more in awe as she took it all in.

"But the question is, what was that first rock?" the Doctor asked, glancing around.

About that time, a seven pointed star spaceship made its way into the dust and rocks.

"Look," Donna said, pointing at it.

"The Racnoss," the Doctor said in disbelief, watching as the rocks and dust started pulling towards the ship, just as the Doctor had predicted.

"Hold on. The Racnoss are hiding from the war. What's it doing?" the Doctor asked.

"Exactly what you said," Donna pointed out.

"Oh, they didn't just bury something in the center of the Earth. They became the center of the Earth. The first rock," the Doctor said in disbelief as a loud bang sounded the through the ship. Freya pulled Donna back from the doors as the Doctor pulled the doors shut.

"What was that?" Donna asked in alarm.

"Trouble," the Doctor said simply as he moved towards the console once more. He only just got to the console as it started throwing them around.

"What the hell's it doing?" Donna shouted as she gripped a railing.

"Remember that trick of mine, particles pulling particles? Well, it works in reverse. They're pulling us back!" the Doctor shouted.

"Well, can't you stop it? Hasn't it got a handbrake? Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?" Donna demanded.

"Backseat driver. Oh! Wait a minute! The extrapolator!" the Doctor shouted. Freya's heart leapt at that. The extrapolator. That was the intergalactic surfboard they got from the Slitheen in Cardiff so long ago.

Back with Mickey, Jack, Rose, and the older Doctor.

"It can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump!" the Doctor said. He quickly set it up, getting it all ready as it started to materialize.

"And now!" the Doctor shouted. He ran for the dor.

"We're about two hundred yards to the right. Donna, come on! Freya, you and James stay here. I want you safe," the Doctor said, turning to make his way over to her and give her a chaste kiss before traipsing out of the TARDIS, doors clicking behind him.

"Do you wanna go out anyway?" James asked, a grin on his face.

"Not this time. I know what's down there. I really want to change clothes quickly, if that's okay with you. We can stay here until he gets back. He'll be fine," Freya said, hoping she was right.

"Fine. What do you want me to do while you get dressed?" James asked her.

"Not break anything for one. You can snoop, just don't touch the console. The last thing we want is her getting mad at you," Freya said with a grin as she took off towards the wardrobe.

It took her a bit longer to find it than usual. The TARDIS, it seemed, wasn't moving the rooms for her. She didn't care though. It felt nice to wander the halls of the TARDIS once more. She'd missed it. Freya's hand stroked the walls as she walked along. Her charm bracelet restocked itself as the gold particles she hadn't seen in ages appeared in front of her, as if it were guiding her like it used to when she was new to the ship.

Freya changed into comfortable clothes before following the gold particles back to the console room. However, the gold particles didn't disappear when she entered the console room. They stayed surrounding her. James's eyes widened when he saw her.

"Freya! What's going on?" he asked in alarm.

"It's fine. It's the TARDIS. Don't worry," Freya reassured him.

"Don't worry? You're surrounded by the same particles that the Doctor just said were deadly!" James scoffed.

"The TARDIS would never hurt me. These are the same particles that are on my bracelet, just in different form," Freya tried explaining.

The two of them sat in the console room, not talking, for a few minutes as Freya's anxiety grew. What if something went wrong? It wasn't just her husband out there; it was her husband and her best friend.

She didn't have to worry long. The door to the TARDIS opened, revealing a soaked Doctor and Donna. The gold particles dissipated immediately upon the Doctor's entrance to the TARDIS. Some things never changed.

"What happened? Are you both alright?" Freya asked, moving towards them instantly.

"We have a small problem," the Doctor admitted.

"What?" Freya asked, scanning the two of them for injuries. The Doctor nodded to Donna, who looked like she was about to burst with excitement.

"We drained the Thames," Donna said gleefully.

"You bloody drained the Thames? How…nevermind," James cut himself off, not even bothering to finish his question. The Doctor moved around the console, taking them off. He then headed for the door, still wet.

"There we go. Home sweet home," the Doctor said, opening the box. James, Freya, Donna and the Doctor all climbed out as Donna glanced back at the box and them.

"Is Donna okay now?" Freya asked the Doctor. He did a quick scan with his sonic screwdriver.

"Yes. All the Huon particles have gone. No damage. You're fine," the Doctor told Donna.

"Yeah, but apart from that, I missed my wedding, lost my job, and became a widow on the same day. Sort of," Donna said. Freya's heart sank at the words. So they hadn't been able to save Lance.

"I couldn't save him," the Doctor apologized.

"He deserved it. No. He didn't. I'd bettered get inside. They'll be worried," Donna said, gesturing towards the house. Her house.

"Best Christmas present they could have," the Doctor said, gesturing towards Donna's parents where they were hugging in the house.

"Oh. I forgot you hated Christmas," the Doctor said. Donna shrugged.

"Yes I do," Donna said.

"Even if it snows?" the Doctor asked. He pointed the sonic screwdriver at the TARDIS light, which then turned yellow and shot off a bolt of energy into the sky, making the snow start to fall.

"I can't believe you did that!" Donna shouted at him, a light smile gracing her lips for a few seconds as she watched the fat clumps of snow drift down.

She had to be freezing. She was soaked. Freya was concerned but Donna didn't even seem to notice it.

"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation," James said with a sniff.

"Merry Christmas," Donna said to them.

"And you. So, what will you do with yourself now?" the Doctor asked Donna.

"Not getting married, for starters. And I'm not going to temp anymore. I don't know. Travel. See a bit more of planet Earth. Walk in the dust. Just go out there and do something," Donna said.

"Well, you could always come with us," the Doctor offered tentatively.

"No," Donna said immediately, making Freya's heart sink.

"Okay," the Doctor said. Freya could tell he was hurt as well.

"I can't," Donna said, her gaze turning to Freya. Freya had to lower her eyes to keep from crying. She'd be leaving her best friend behind with no clue as to when she'd see her again. She wished Donna would go with them more than anything.

"Everything we did today. Do you live your life like that?" Donna asked the Doctor.

"Not all the time," the Doctor lied.

"I think you do. And I couldn't. I don't know how Freya manages it, especially with being pregnant. Just do me a favor, will you? Take care of her. Because she's my best friend, and she needs looking after. If I so much as hear about one hair on her head being harmed, I'll kill you myself," Donna threatened him. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up and he nodded immediately.

"Cross my hearts," he said.

"Good. And visit, will you?" Donna asked Freya. Freya nodded immediately before hugging Donna tightly.

"You need to change out of that dress. It's gotta be soaked," Freya murmured to Donna, who laughed at her.

"Look at you, still mothering me no matter what. If you don't bring that baby boy home to meet Aunt Donna, I'm gonna never forgive you," Donna told her as she pulled back.

"I don't think I'd forgive myself either," Freya admitted. She glance over at James, who had moved closer to Donna.

"I'll just get a cab back from here. Come visit," James ordered Freya gruffly. Freya laughed at him and launched at him, hugging him tightly as well.

"We will. Tell Masen and Marie I said bye," Freya told him. He nodded, sending a look at the Doctor. The Doctor merely nodded and held out his hand to Freya. Freya took it and he led her back into the TARDIS.

"Welcome home, Freya," the Doctor said softly.

"It's nice to be back," she responded.

"Let's go to bed. You've had enough excitement for one day, and I'm looking forward to waking up with my wife in my arms once more."

**So here you go, chapter 2. I hope you like it. I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it. Leave me a review with your thoughts! I'm loving the reviews I'm receiving!**

**Andi**


	3. Smiths And Jones

**Sorry for the long wait! I've been extremely busy!**

Chapter 3: Smiths and Jones

Freya was bored. Bored but content.

They'd been in the hospital for a little over eighteen hours now, the Doctor checked in with fake abdomen pains and Freya pretending in all senses that there was no reason for her to be in the hospital, or even checked in. The Doctor had made it very clear when they decided to investigate that there was no way she was to be checked in. They didn't want to risk any excess tests being run that could upset the baby.

The Doctor had discovered some sort of what he called plasma coils around the hospital and decided it was time for an adventure. Freya hadn't protested; she'd been worried he wouldn't have wanted an adventure at all after losing her as he had before.

Still. There was nothing to do in the hospital. She'd managed to get away with curling up on the bed next to him, despite the doctors' frowns at her. The nurses thought it was adorable too.

"Dr. Stoker's on his way. I'd pretend you're asleep if you don't want to move," a nurse said as she peeked in the room to check on the Doctor's vitals.

"Thank you," Freya told her as she shifted on the bed, curling herself up against the Doctor before slowing her breathing and closing her eyes. The Doctor's arm tightened around her. She heard the distinctive sounds of the curtain around the bed being pulled back.

"Now then, Mister Smith, a very good morning to you. How are you today? Is there a reason she's sleeping in the bed with?" a masculine voice said, disdain clear.

"Oh, not so bad. Still a bit, you know, blah. The wife was up half the night, nearly sick with worry. The nurses said she could sleep with me so she wouldn't get a kink in her neck from the chair," the Doctor lied effortlessly.

"John Smith, admitted yesterday with severe abdominal pains. Jones, why don't you see what you can find? Amaze me," the man said. Freya worked hard to control her breathing. Jones…Martha Jones? Was Martha the one checking them?

"So you're Freya's husband. Not wise, abandoning her like that. And it sure wasn't clever, running around outside, was it?" Martha's voice filled Freya's ears.

"Sorry?" the Doctor said, quite clearly stunned by both her knowledge of them and her accusation.

"On Chancellor Street this morning? You came up to me and took your tie off," Martha explained.

"Really? What did I do that for?" the Doctor wondered aloud.

"I don't know, you just did," Martha said defensively.

"Not me. I was here, in bed. Ask the nurses. Ask the wife, when she wakes up," the Doctor told her.

"Well that's weird cause it looked like you. Have you got a brother?" Martha asked.

"Not…not really, no. Not one that looks like me," the Doctor said.

"As time passes and I grow ever more infirm and weary, Miss Jones," Dr. Stoker complained.

"Sorry, right," Martha apologized as she shifted around. After a few minutes of silence, the Doctor shifted next to her.

"I weep for future generations. Are you having trouble locating the heart, Miss Jones?" Dr. Stoker asked scathingly. Freya's breath hitched subconsciously at his words. His heart? Oh no.

"Er, I don't know. Stomach cramps?" Martha asked awkwardly.

"That is a symptom, not a diagnosis. And you rather failed basic techniques by not consulting first with the patient's chart," Dr. Stoker said. Freya could hear shifting around before Dr. Stoker hissed.

"That happened to me this morning," Martha said.

"I had the same thing on a door handle," another male voice added.

"And me, on the lift," a girl's voice added in.

"That's only to be expected. There's a thunderstorm moving in and lightning is a form of static electricity, as was first proven by….anyone?" Dr. Stoker asked.

"Benjamin Franklin," Freya said sleepily before she could stop herself. She stretched slightly, pretending to have just woken up.

"Correct," Dr. Stoker said, looking quite surprised to be saying it.

"My mate, Ben. That was a day and a half. I got rope burns off that kite, and then I got soaked," the Doctor babbled. Freya sent the Doctor an odd look.

"Quite," Dr. Stoker said carefully, obviously not very amused.

"And then I got electrocuted," the Doctor continued happily.

"He's…a bit not right sometimes," Freya apologized.

"Moving on," Dr. Stoker said quickly, leading the group away from them. Martha sent Freya a small smile before they left.

"That really wasn't a smart thing to say. We're supposed to be lying low," Freya warned the Doctor.

"It kinda slipped out. I do have a bit of a gob," the Doctor said with a sheepish grin.

"So now what? They were all getting shocked. Could that have anything to do with the plasma coils?" Freya wondered.

"It probably could. That means things are probably almost in place. Come on. I'll get dressed real quick," the Doctor said, pulling his clothes from where Freya had set them in the chair next to their bed. He stood quickly, tugging the gown off as Freya slowly scooted off the bed. She made her way to the window, staring out at the rain that had just started falling.

And then going upward.

"Doctor, there's a problem. The rain. It's going up. Does that have something to do with the plasma coils?" Freya wanted to know, feeling nervous at the unnatural sight. The Doctor pulled Freya along with him into the hallway just as the hospital jerked violently. The Doctor grabbed Freya immediately, holding her tightly as everything jerked.

When it stopped, he pulled her to her feet and into a room where people were panicking.

"All right now, everyone back to bed. We've got an emergency but we'll sort it out. Don't worry," Martha said. Freya peeked out from around the curtain to see Martha and another girl going to the window.

The window where the Earth was clearly visible from space.

"It's real. It's really real. Hold on," she said, reaching for the window as her friend freaked out.

"Don't! We'll lose all the air!" she cried.

"But they're not exactly airtight. If the air was going to get sucked out it would have happened straight away, but it didn't. So how come?" Martha wondered.

"Great question," Freya said before she could stop herself. Her hand flew to her mouth. She hadn't meant to say anything. The Doctor's gob must have been rubbing off on her, Freya realized wryly.

Seeing as how both girls now saw Freya, she pushed the curtain back. The Doctor stepped out alongside Freya.

"Brilliant point, in fact. What was your name?" the Doctor asked her curiously.

"Martha," Martha said.

"And it was Jones, wasn't it? Have we met her before?" the Doctor asked Freya.

"Yes, but she hasn't met you yet," Freya murmured as the Doctor turned back to Martha.

"Well then, Martha Jones, the question is how are we still breathing?" the Doctor asked her, watching for what her response would be.

"We can't be," Martha's friend moaned.

"Obviously we are," Freya pointed out, trying to be as kind as she could with the statement.

"Don't waste our time. Martha, what have we got? Is there a balcony on this floor, or a veranda?" the Doctor asked, waving Martha's friend off.

"By the patients' lounge, yeah," Martha said with a nod.

"Fancy going out?" the Doctor asked her.

"Okay," Martha said.

"We might die," the Doctor warned her.

"We might not," Martha countered.

"Good. Come on. Not her though. She'd hold us up," the Doctor said, waving off Martha's friend. Martha led them to what was a balcony. The Doctor stopped Freya a few feet away before opening the glass doors and stepping out. Him and Martha each took a breath before the Doctor motioned for Freya to join them.

"Were you really going to make me wait to make sure it was safe?" Freya asked him in disbelief.

"I'm not going to lose you again," the Doctor protested.

"So I guess this is the father?" Martha asked, gesturing to the Doctor.

"Yeah. He came back," Freya admitted quietly.

"You've got to be a saint to take him back," Martha said immediately before glancing around at the moon.

They were on the moon. Freya had to smile at that realization. She hadn't been to the moon yet. There was something magical about being on the moon, despite all the other places she'd been on. She'd seen the moon in the sky before, unlike the rest of the places she'd visited.

It felt so unreal.

"We've got air. How does that work?" Martha wondered aloud.

"Don't question it. Just be glad we do," Freya warned her.

"You're talking as if you experience this sort of thing every day," Martha accused before staring at her, eyebrows furrowing tightly together.

"Oh my God, you do, don't you?" Martha gasped in realization.

"Back to the current situation, don't you think?" Freya asked, gesturing towards the Earth. Martha turned, her attention snapping back to their situation.

"I've got a party tonight. It's my brother's twenty-first. My mother's going to be really…" Martha drifted off, staring at the Earth.

"You okay?" Freya asked her, concerned.

"Yeah," Martha said, but her voice sounded more dazed than anything else.

"Sure?" the Doctor asked her, glancing at Freya who immediately shook her head. Martha was anything but fine.

"Yeah," Martha repeated.

"Do you want to go back in?" Freya offered.

"No way. I mean, we could die any minute, but all the same, it's beautiful," Martha said with a sigh.

"Do you think?" the Doctor asked, looking as if he'd been thinking about something intently.

"How many people want to go to the moon? And here we are," Martha said.

"I feel the same way. There's something so special about being on the moon," Freya agreed.

"Standing in the Earthlight," the Doctor added with a nod.

"What do you think happened?" Martha asked him.

"What do you think?" the Doctor shot right back.

"Extraterrestrial. It's got to be. I don't know, a few years ago that would have sounded mad, but these days? That spaceship flying into Big Ben, Christmas, those Cybermen things. I had a cousin. Adeola. She worked at Canary Wharf. She never came home," Martha said sadly.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said earnestly.

"Yeah," Martha responded.

"We were there, in the battle," the Doctor added slowly.

"I promise you, Mister Smith, we will find a way out. If we can travel to the moon, then we can travel back. There's got to be a way," Martha swore. The Doctor winced at her words.

"It's not Smith. That's not my real name," the Doctor said awkwardly.

"Who are you, then?" Martha asked him.

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said with a grin.

"Me too, if I can pass my exams. What is it then, Doctor Smith?" she asked/

"Just the Doctor," the Doctor said.

"What, people call you the Doctor?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"Yes," the Doctor stated, already seemingly getting irritated with the conversation.

"Even you? You call him the Doctor too? Is he even your husband?" Martha asked in confusion.

"Yeah, I call him the Doctor. And yeah, he's my husband," Freya agreed.

"Well, I'm not. As far as I'm concerned, you've got to earn that title," Martha scoffed.

"Well, I'd bettered make a start, then. Let's have a look. There must be some sort of…" the Doctor drifted off as he picked up something and threw it out at the moon. It bounced back at them though.

"Forcefield," Freya finished for him.

"Yes. Forcefield, keeping the air in," the Doctor agreed.

"But if that's like a bubble sealing us in, that means this is the only air we've got. What happens when it runs out?" Martha wanted to know.

"How many people are in this hospital?" the Doctor wanted to know.

"I don't know. A thousand?" Martha guessed.

"One thousand people suffocating," the Doctor said grimly.

"Why would anyone do that?" Martha wanted to know in horror.

"Head's up! Ask them yourself," the Doctor said, pointing towards where spaceships were landing nearby.

"Aliens," Martha breathed in disbelief.

"Yes. Real and proper aliens," Freya said, earning a wink from the Doctor before he turned his attention back to the aliens marching towards them.

"Judoon," the Doctor said grimly as he recognized him. Freya's heart sank.

That couldn't be good.

"Come on. Let's get near the entrance so we can see what's happening," Freya suggested, tugging both Martha and the Doctor after her.

"Why? Shouldn't we be getting away from the creepy aliens marching towards us?" Martha wanted to know.

"She's right. We need to find out as much as we can as to why they're here, what they're looking for, and how best to save everyone in the hospital," the Doctor said, ticking off their goals on his fingers as they walked quickly through the halls.

They stopped when they found the balcony overlooking the doors and crouched behind a plant as the Judoon barged in.

"Oh, look down there. You've got a little shop. I like a little shop," the Doctor crooned.

"Not the time," Freya warned him, Martha nodding in agreement.

"Never mind that. What are Judoon?" Martha asked. Freya was wondering the same thing. They looked like rhinos.

"They're like police. Well, police for hire. They're more like interplanetary thugs," the Doctor explained.

"And they brought us to the moon?" Martha questioned.

"Is the moon like neutral territory? James had a theory that was something like that," Freya stated.

"Yeah. Neutral territory. How did he figure that out? Never mind. According to galactic law, they've got no jurisdiction over the Earth, and they isolated it. That rain, lightning? That was them, using an H2O scoop," the Doctor explained.

"What are you on about, galactic law? Where'd you get that from? If they're police, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the moon or something?" Martha wanted to know.

"We can't be trespassing on the moon if we weren't the ones who came here in the first place. They brought us here. That would be like the police arresting you for coming to jail when they forced you into their car and drove you there themselves," Freya explained. At least, that's how she felt about it. The Doctor nodded.

"No. I like that though. Good thinking. And great analogy, Freya. No, I wish it were all that simply. They're making a catalogue. That means they're after something non-human, which is really bad for us," the Doctor said, gesturing between Freya and himself.

"I'm human," Freya pointed out.

"Yeah, with an alien baby and traces of non-human coursing through your body," the Doctor corrected her.

"You've got to be kidding me. Don't be ridiculous," Martha scoffed at the two of them. Both the Doctor and Freya just stared at Martha.

"Stop looking at me like that," Martha complained nervously.

"Come on then," the Doctor said, gesturing for her to get up and follow him. Freya was up in an instant, trekking behind him. Martha hesitated for a moment before dashing after them. The Doctor made his way into an office that Freya guessed was for administration. He quickly tried sonicking the screwdriver as Martha glanced out of the doorway.

"They've reached the third floor. What's that thing?" Martha asked, eyes glued to his sonic screwdriver.

"Sonic screwdriver," the Doctor said absently as he tried getting the computer to work.

"Well, if you're not going to answer me properly," Martha complained. The Doctor glanced up at her, almost confused.

"No, really, it is. It's a screwdriver, and it's sonic. Look," he said, holding it up for her to see.

"What else have you got, a laser spanner?" Martha asked bitingly.

"I did, but ti was stolen by Emily Pankhurst, cheeky woman. Oh, this computer! The Judoon must have locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the moon. Because we were just travelling past, I swear. We were just wandering. I wasn't looking for trouble. Looking for the opposite of trouble really. Didn't want to put Freya in trouble again so soon. But we saw the plasma coil, and the lightning. It's been building up, so I checked myself in. I thought something was going on inside, but it was the Judoon up above," the Doctor said. Freya moved past him towards the computer. One of the things she'd learnt in her time on Earth away from the Doctor was computers.

Between Donna showing her basic temp and secretary stuff and James showing her his genius with the things she'd learnt quite a bit.

"But what were they looking for?" Martha wondered.

"Something that looks human, but isn't," the Doctor explained with a frown as Freya started breaking through the Judoon's defenses.

"Like you, apparently," Martha said.

"Like me, but not me," the Doctor corrected her.

"Haven't they got a photo?" Martha wanted to know.

"Maybe it can change shapes. I've see weirder," Frey admitted from the computer.

"Whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?" Martha asked.

"If they declare the hospital guilty of harboring a fugitive, they'll sentence it to execution," the Doctor said grimly as Freya broke through another layer of the Judoon's lock.

"All of us?" Martha asked in horror.

"Oh yes. If I can find this thing first. Oh!" the Doctor exclaimed, looking over Freya's shoulders.

"They wiped the records," Freya said with a frown. She quickly pulled out her phone, dialing James.

"The Judoon are thick! They are completely thick! That's clever," the Doctor said as James answered the phone.

"_Hello?" _James answered.

"Hey. I'm in a hospital on the moon trying recover records from a computer wiped by alien rhinos. Any advice?" Freya asked.

"What are we looking for?" Martha asked the Doctor.

"I don't know," the Doctor said.

"_You're in a hospital? Are you okay?" _James asked instantly.

"Is that all you heard?" Freya retorted, amused at him.

"Say, any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms. Maybe there's a backup," the Doctor said.

"_Oh. Yeah," _James mumbled before giving her quick instructions. She did as he said, as Martha left to go ask her teacher. The Doctor kept mumbling to himself as Freya got the records pulled back up.

"Thanks. Talk to you later," Freya said.

"_Stop by before leaving earth?" _James asked her.

"Sure. I'll make him. Bye!" Freya said, with a grin, hanging up. She quickly scanned through the inventory, searching for what the Doctor was looking for. After a few key words, she had narrowed it down to about ten patients when Martha burst into the room.

"I've got a list of ten potential patients," Freya informed her as Martha shook her head.

"I found her," Martha said The Doctor's eyes widened and he stared at Martha

"You did what?" he asked as two men in all leather broke down the door.

"Run!" the Doctor shouted, grabbing Freya's hand and yanking her from her seat. They started to run down the stairs but ran into Judoon instead so the Doctor pulled them up to another floor. He pulled them into a room labelled radiology and the Doctor thrust her into the room before sonicking the door shut.

"Get over there and when I say now, press the button," the Doctor ordered Freya quickly ran behind the radiation screen.

"But I don't know which one!" Martha protested. Freya glanced around frantically, eyes landing on a manual on the shelf. She pulled it down quickly, finding the table of contents and turning to the page with the labels on it.

Freya heard a loud crash, making her jump. She was on the right page. Her eyes skimmed the page quickly in time to hear the Doctor shout an abrupt now.

She quickly pressed down on a button that was near her, hoping she hadn't read the labels wrong. The Doctor's bones were illuminated for a moment as the leather man fell down. Martha found the off button.

"What did you do?" Martha asked, staring at the leather man.

"Increased the radiation by five thousand percent. Killed him dead," the Doctor said. Freya's heart lurched at his words. He'd just…killed the man, alien, whatever he was, without giving him a chance? The Doctor had never done that before. Uneasiness rose in Freya's stomach.

"But isn't that going to kill you?" Martha asked. She didn't seem to care about the creature lying dead in front of them either.

"Nah, it's only roentgen radiation. We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery. It's safe for you two to come out now I've absorbed it all. All I need to do is expel it. If I can concentrate I can shake the radiation out of my body and into one spot. It's in my left shoe. Here we go, here we go! Easy does it. Out, out, out!" the Doctor shouted as he wiggled about, shaking his foot almost obnoxiously.

When he went to take the shoe off, he very nearly dropped it with an exclamation of how hot it was before managing to throw it into a bin

"Done," he said happily with a sigh.

"You're completely mad," Martha said in disbelief. The Doctor glanced down before nodding.

You're right. I look daft with one shoe," he said with decision before pulling the other shoe off as well, tossing it around as well

"Barefoot on the moon," the Doctor said happily.

"What was that? Who was that? Why did you kill him without giving him a chance?" Freya asked before he could get distracted with another tangent.

"It's just a Slab. They're called Slabs. Basic slave drones. See? Solid leather, all the way through. Like the Adherence of the Repeated Meme. Someone has got one hell of a fetish," the Doctor said thoughtfully.

"But it was with that woman, Miss Finnegan. It was working for her, just like a servant," Martha said as the Doctor pulled his sonic from the x-ray machine.

It was completely ruined.

"My sonic screwdriver," the Doctor whispered in horror, staring at it.

"She was one of the patients," Martha continued, trying to draw the Doctor's attention back to her.

"Oh no. My sonic screwdriver," the Doctor repeated sadly.

"But she had a straw, like some kind of vampire," Martha continued

"I loved my sonic screwdriver," the Doctor said mournfully.

"Doctor?" Martha said, pulling his attention to her

"Sorry," the Doctor said, throwing the screwdriver over his shoulder. Freya considered pulling out her sonic screwdriver, the one she'd swiped from his jacket ages ago, but figured he was fine. If he needed it that bad she could give it to him then.

"You called me Doctor," the Doctor said, a smile forming on his lips.

"Anyway? Miss Finnegan is the alien. She was drinking Mister Stoker's blood," Martha said.

"Funny time to take a snack You'd think she'd be hiding Unless…no. Yes, that's it. Wait a minute. Yes! Shape-changer, internal shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was assimilating it!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Making her appear human? Even to the scanners?" Freya questioned. The Doctor nodded grimly.

"If she can assimilate Mister Stoker's blood, mimic the biology, she'll register as human. We've got to find her and show the Judoon. Come on!" the Doctor shouted, pulling her along behind him as Martha ran alongside him. They managed to hide behind a water dispenser just as another of the Slab creatures walked down the corridor.

"That's the thing about Slabs They always travel in pairs," the Doctor said.

"What about you?" Martha asked.

"What about me what?" the Doctor asked, puzzled.

"Haven't you got backup? You must have a partner or something?" Martha reasoned.

"She's my partner," the Doctor said, pointing to Freya.

"But she's been here alone for what, months? I've done checkups for three months now. Surely you have a new assistant or something by now," Martha pointed out.

"I'm not his assistant. I'm his wife," Freya corrected quietly.

"I don't need a new assistant. I've got Freya," the Doctor said.

"Fat lot of good she's doing. She's stuck here too, and she's pregnant. Can't be good for her or the baby to be doing this," Martha pointed out. Freya waited for the Doctor to defend her, only to be alarmed at the look of guilty that flashed across his face.

He agreed with Martha.

That thought slammed into Freya. Even after what had happened, he still thought of leaving her behind.

The Doctor stood, pulling Freya and Martha up only to run directly into a Judoon. The Judoon held up his scanner and quickly scanned the Doctor.

"Non-human," the Judoon droned.

"Oh my God, you really are an alien," Martha said in disbelief. The Doctor tugged them along as a Judoon fired his weapons at them. The Doctor tugged them towards the stairs. As they ran down the stairs, Freya felt sick. Her lungs were not getting enough air, and it hurt to run so much. The people in the hallway they'd just entered apparently felt the same way. They were starting to slump to the ground, just as she felt she ought to do.

"They've done this floor Come on. The Judoon are logical and just a little bit thick. They won't go back to check a floor they've already checked. If we're lucky," the Doctor amended slightly.

"How much oxygen is there?" Martha asked her friend from earlier

"Not enough for all these people We're going to run out," the friend said in despair.

"How are you feeling?" the Doctor asked Martha.

"I'm running on adrenaline," Martha admitted.

"And you?" the Doctor asked, spinning to stare intently at Freya. She started to say she was fine, but she wasn't. Now wasn't the time for her to succeed in lying to the Doctor and have them have to run again.

"Bit lightheaded," Freya admitted. The Doctor nodded grimly, bringing her near the stairwell and sitting her down in a folded down wheelchair.

"Rest right here then. We'll be back for you. Focus on nice, deep, even breaths," the Doctor told her soothingly before kissing her gently on the forehead and tugging Martha along with him.

The two of them had barely left when a group of Judoon marched down the hallway, glancing at hands. Freya struggled to stand, wanting to get out of there. She didn't know what they'd find when they scanned her, and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

They stopped in front of her before she could manage to hide and scanned her.

"Non-human developing. Activate full scan," the Judoon said, pushing her against the wall. Freya winced at the sudden movement, her head spinning.

"Fetus is non human origins. Take her to the ship," one of the Judoon told the others. Freya's heart seized at his words.

"But I can't! I'm not what you're looking for!" Freya protested, but the Judoon was having none of it. They dragged her out of the hospital. Freya's eyes widened as they headed out. There was an air bubble. She wouldn't be able to breath. She sucked in a deep breath of thin air and held it as long as she could until they shoved her into the space ship.

Her head spun as they dragged her into a small cell, locking the door. Freya gripped the bars tightly, glancing up and down the hallway.

There was no one else there.

She quickly pulled out her cell phone, dialing the Doctor's number, the cell phone she'd taken to slipping in his jacket. It rang out.

What was he doing? Why couldn't he answer? Where were they going to take her?

No. Calm. She needed to stay calm. She'd never figure out what was going on if she panicked. She scrolled through her contacts, ready to dial James, only to pause. He worked with UNIT, but Freya'd never heard him mention Judoon before. And despite everything, he really was only human.

She scrolled through her contacts, stopping on one for Torchwood. Jack? Was that Jack's number? She hadn't put that in her phone. She clicked on it, watching as all the little comment popped up on the profile page. Definitely Jack. Jack could help her.

She dialed his number and waited, hoping he would pick up.

"Hello?" a voice, most definitely not Jack's, answered.

"Hi. I'm looking for Jack? Is he there? It's an emergency," Freya said quickly, glancing down the hallway both ways once more. Still no one coming.

"May I ask who's calling?" the man asked her kindly.

"Tell him it's Freya and I'm captured by some alien and the Doctor isn't answering his phone and they think I'm guilty of some crime," Freya said, the words tumbling out. She was met with silence. She pulled the phone back, glancing at it. No, they hadn't hung up on her yet.

"He'll be with you in a second," the voice finally said and she could hear Jack's voice in the background.

"Hey! Freya? What's wrong? Where are you?" Jack asked immediately.

"On a spaceship on the moon. I don't know where they're going to take me," Freya admitted nervously.

"On the moon? Our moon? Were you in that hospital that just came back?" Jack asked.

"Came back?" Freya asked in alarm.

"Yeah. It just reappeared. It's all over the news. I guess you didn't come back with it?" Jack asked.

"No. The Judoon scanned me and found that I was carrying a non-human so they carted me off and threw me in a cell on their spaceship. I tried calling the Doctor but couldn't get an answer," Freya said worriedly.

"Hold on a minute, Freya. Everything's going to be fine. I paged Bad Wolf. He'll be able to come get you. Do you want me to try coming after you as well?" Jack asked.

"Please. How do you know it'll be the right version of Bad Wolf? What if it's an extremely younger version of himself?" Freya asked worriedly.

"Don't worry. It'll be the right version. I'm actually on babysitting duty right now under direct orders not to let the child out of my sight. So there'll be a whole group of us. Just sit tight and if there's any talk of execution, keep them talking. You said Judoon, right?" Jack asked for clarification.

"Yes. I think they're coming!" Freya whispered as she heard marching. She backed away from the bars quickly.

"We'll be right there for you," Jack promised before Freya hung up the phone. She quickly shoved the phone into her pocket as a group of Judoon marched by, not even acknowledging her.

"Where are you taking me?" Freya shouted after them without thinking. They kept walking. She sank to the ground, hoping Jack and Bad Wolf would get there soon.

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The Doctor felt groggy. He could only assume that almost dying had done that to him. Still, he climbed down the stairs to where he had left Freya. By now emergency personnel were flitting about the doctors and patients alike, trying to get everyone back to their health.

When he got to where he'd left Freya, she was gone.

He instantly shoved back his anxiety. She could have been taken to a room by a doctor or something. Or wandered off to avoid that. Maybe she was even waiting by the TARDIS for him.

It did nothing to satisfy him. He began asking around, searching rooms, corridors, closets, but he couldn't find her. It was beginning to scare him. He did end up running straight into Martha Jones.

"Hey! I thought you'd run off and left!" Martha said. The Doctor shook his head.

"I can't find Freya. Do you have any idea where she could be hiding?" the Doctor asked.

"Why would she be hiding?" Martha asked.

"To avoid being examined," the Doctor stated, obviously put out to have to answer a question he thought to be so basic.

"I'm sure she's fine. We'll find her," Martha said.

"We?" the Doctor asked, confused.

"Yeah, we. I know the hospital better than you do. Let's got find your wife," Martha said, marching off as she did. The Doctor followed her quickly.

He wasn't about to lose his wife again.

**Originally, this was supposed to keep going, but because I've taken two weeks to get this much done, I'm giving this to you now and the next chapter will be almost all original content. Thank you for sticking with me guys. I've been extremely busy and am still busy for awhile. I just had to give you guys something! Just be forewarned, I am still updating, but it will be going much slower than it has been, and for that I am sorry. Let me know what you think of this!**

**Andi**


	4. The Shadow Proclamation

**A.N. Important author's note at the bottom! Please read it!**

Chapter 4: The Shadow Proclamation

The Doctor was at his wit's ends. They'd searched the entire hospital from high to low and hadn't found a hint of her. She wasn't at the TARDIS either.

He had even got desperate enough to call James, despite how much he disliked James. James knew as much as he did, less even.

They had been back for hours now, and there was still no sign of her.

"Look, you're stressed. Why don't you come with me to my brother's party? You're only getting more worked up the longer it takes you to find her. Come to the party, relax, and as soon as it's over, you'll have a clear head and you can think of any new angles," Martha suggested.

"I'm not in the mood to go to a party without my wife," the Doctor said sourly.

"She couldn't have gotten that far. We searched the hospital. What about home? Could she have gone home?" Martha wondered.

"Not without me," the Doctor said immediately.

"I don't know where else she could have possibly gone," Martha complained.

"Go on to your party. We'll come find you when we've found her. She'll probably need another checkup after all the stress from today," the Doctor said, attempting to muster up a smile.

"Come on. Just come for an hour," Martha urged.

And, against his better judgment, he did.

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Jack growled as he slammed his phone down again.

"Not working?" Ianto asked sympathetically.

"No. Bad Wolf's not answering, and Freya's phone just died. We don't even know where they're taking her!" Jack shouted in frustration.

"We'll find her. Don't worry so much. You'll freak out Lil' Red," Ianto warned him, glancing over at the little girl who was playing with toys she'd been dropped off with.

"Can you try calling James? I'm going to try Bad Wolf one more time and if I can't get ahold of him, I'm calling River," Jack said.

"Can't get ahold of me?" a voice said from the door Jack spun around only to see the younger version of Bad Wolf standing there.

"We need to get ahold of your older self. About ten to twenty years in the future. Your mother's missing," Jack told him. Bad Wolf's eyebrows furrowed together.

"Dad lost Mom again?" Bad Wolf asked in disbelief.

"He seems to do that a lot, yes," Ianto said as he held his phone up to his ear.

"I can get him here. My older self, I mean. What's the date?" Bad Wolf asked. Jack told him quickly and Bad Wolf nodded before leaving the room. Almost as soon as he was gone, older Bad Wolf appeared in the room.

"Hold on – how did you do that?" Ianto asked, not bothering to cover the mouth of the phone.

"My younger self planted the knowledge that he would be needed on this date in ten to twenty years. So the memory came back to me in that time frame and I popped back here the second he left the room," Bad Wolf explained.

"Good. We need to find your mom," Jack said.

"I know. What happened?" Bad Wolf asked, all business.

"Freya called me from a spaceship. She said the Judoon were taking her somewhere because they knew her baby wasn't human. That's all we know," Jack explained.

"They're probably going to take her to the Shadow Proclamation. They found her, with non-human traces and with an alien baby growing inside of her. That could easily violate five to ten different articles of the Shadow Proclamation, just on principle. They'll take her there to do scans and make sure that is not the case," Bad Wolf explained.

"So she's safe?" Jack asked.

"Not quite. They'll want to make sure the baby, i.e. me, isn't a threat, so they'll keep her there. We can get her out if we show up and explain the situation to them," Bad Wolf explained. Ianto hung up his phone before scooping Lil' Red up, making his way over.

"Right then. What are we waiting for?" Ianto wanted to know

"Wait – we're all going? Even Lil' Red? She can't go," Bad Wolf protested immediately.

"Course she can. I was told she wasn't allowed to be out of my sight. Ianto will come too, so if we need to fight our way out, he can protect her," Jack explained.

"If you get her hurt, I'll kill you," Bad Wolf swore. Jack gave him a cheeky grin before patting the side of his face.

"Like you'd get away with it. Come on. Coordinates," Jack said, pulling his sleeve up. Bad Wolf typed the coordinates in on both of the Vortex Manipulators before Ianto grabbed Jack, just in time for them to blink out.

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The Doctor was leaving the party when he felt his pocket buzzing. Puzzled, he pulled out a small phone to see that he had six missed calls and a current incoming call. He answered it immediately.

"Freya?" he asked anxiously.

"No you ape it's me," James said bitingly.

"Oh," the Doctor said with a frown.

"Don't get all moody. I've got a lead. Was talking to Jack and the Torchwood group. They've got Bad Wolf on finding her. If you meet her at the hub in Cardiff, she'll be back soon, I'm sure," James said.

"Thanks," the Doctor said earnestly.

"If you ever lose her again, I'll kill you," James swore.

"I'm sure you could try," the Doctor retorted before shoving the phone in his pocket.

"Who was that?" Martha asked curiously

"My…er, you could call him my brother, I guess. Blimey I have a difficult family now," the Doctor muttered to himself.

"So you found her?" Martha asked.

"Sort of. Our son's going to fetch her. Then we'll meet them in Cardiff," the Doctor said.

"Cardiff? That's quite a drive," Martha said. The Doctor felt excitement build up in him.

"Not for me it isn't. Wanna see my spaceship?" the Doctor asked her.

"You have a spaceship?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"I do," the Doctor said happily.

He proceeded to show her his ship.

And it's ability to travel in time.

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Freya was bored out of her mind. She had no idea how long it had taken for them to get there, only that she was starving. The Judoon pulled her out of the cell none too gently, dragging her along after them into some building.

Standing in the center of the room was an albino woman. She was dressed in all black and looked quite creepy, Freya decided.

"Is this the anomaly you said you found?" the woman asked

"Yes," the Judoon said.

"Leave us. I'll figure it out," the woman said, waving them off. She moved closer, examining Freya from head to foot

"I'm the Shadow Proclamation's Architect. I doubt you know what that is," the woman said dismissively.

"You're like the galaxy police laws," Freya said instantly. She didn't want the woman belittling her knowledge. Not when she actually had some knowledge.

The Architect stared at her critically, examining her even closer.

"So you have knowledge of us. That means you aren't fully unaware," the Architect mused.

"Unaware of what? Why was I brought here?" Freya asked, her stomach growling.

"Interspecies breeding in the time period are unheard of except under conditions which violate the Shadow Proclamation," the Architect explained. Freya felt bile rise in her throat.

"I'm pretty sure I haven't violated any laws," Freya said, crossing her arms defensively in front of her.

"If you were unaware, it would be possible that you were wrongly being used as a breeder to try to create more of the species. That is in violation of article 73. It appears that you are aware. The most common law broken in this situation is an attempt to breed a superior weapon," the Architect. Freya scoffed at the woman.

"My son is not a weapon," Freya said.

"How do you know he won't be? What proof do you have of that?" the Architect challenged her.

"Because she's met me before," a voice said from behind them. The Architect spun around. Freya sighed in relief as she turned as well. Bad Wolf had his arms crossed and was glaring at the Architect with all his might. Beside him, Jack was standing as well. A ways behind them was a man Freya had never seen and a little girl who couldn't have been more than a year and a half in age, all curly red hair.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" the Architect demanded.

"I'm the Bad Wolf. Her son. I'm a Time Lord. She is not breeding a weapon, nor is she breaking any intergalactic laws. I'd suggest you let her go with me immediately," Bad Wolf threatened. The Architect's eyes narrowed on him. Jack placed his hand on Bad Wolf's shoulder, pulling him back a bit before stepping forward.

"Hi. Captain Jack Harkness, and you are?" Jack asked smoothly, holding his hand out to the Architect. She merely stared at his hand as Jack slowly lowered it, looking almost dumbfounded.

"Well. Look, Freya's just a sweet girl. She's married to the Time Lord that fathered her baby. That's why she's pregnant. Not a weapon, just a good old fashioned mistake," Jack said, earning an indignant "Oi!" from Bad Wolf.

"He wasn't a mistake," Freya corrected Jack quickly.

"Considering you had him long before you got married, I'd say he was. Anyway, you can see he's not a weapon," Jack said, waving his hand dismissively at Bad Wolf, who shot him the dirtiest glare Freya had ever seen on his face so far.

"I thought the Time Lords were extinct," the Architect said.

"The Doctor's the only one. Bad Wolf's the Doctor's son," Jack explained. The Architect nodded slowly before sighing.

"I can't let you leave. I'm not thoroughly convinced that the Bad Wolf isn't a weapon," the Architect admitted. As she did, the man behind Jack let out a cry.

The little girl he was holding was on the ground, running haphazardly towards them. Freya moved automatically towards the child, catching her only before she managed to trip on the floor. Freya hoisted the girl in her arms, watching as the little red-head immediately stuck her thumb in her mouth, brown eyes wide and focused intently on her.

"And who are you?" Freya cooed at her. The little girl's arms wrapped themselves around Freya tightly the instant she spoke, bursting into tears as she did. Freya glanced at the men, wide-eyed, before she began murmuring sweet nothings into the child's ear.

"Who's she?" Freya asked when she finally got her quieted down.

"Lil' Red," the man behind Jack said proudly. Bad Wolf elbowed him firmly

"Ianto," Bad Wolf hissed. Freya ignored the two of them as her stomach grumbled again.

"Look, we're not accusing you of doing the wrong thing. You were doing the right thing, investigating Freya. You're just trying to keep the universe safe. But Freya needs rest, some food, and a checkup to make sure both her and the baby are okay. I'm sure she's had a rough day," the man Bad Wolf had identified as Ianto reasoned.

The Architect opened her mouth to respond when a bunch of lights started flashing mauve.

"Just go then. We've got bigger problems to take care of," the Architect said with an exasperated sigh. Bad Wolf grabbed Freya's arm quickly and pulled her towards him, placing her hand on his Vortex Manipulator.

Her head spun when the light turned a different color. Three sets of arms steadied her quickly as her grip tightened on the child.

"Whoa there. Ianto, can you go grab her some food? She looks a bit peckish," Bad Wolf said. Ianto nodded and quickly left the room as Bad Wolf adjusted the Vortex Manipulator.

"I've got to get going. Younger me's on his way down. Take care, Mom," Bad Wolf said before giving Freya a quick kiss on the cheek. He disappeared in a flash of light just as a younger version of Bad Wolf entered the room.

"Gwen said to come get you. She said three people were insisting on being allowed down here. Something about intruders. I think Dad's here," Bad Wolf said before his eyes landed on Freya. He rushed towards her and hugged her tightly, Lil' Red in her arms and all.

"You're safe!" Bad Wolf exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Freya told him, patting his back with her free hand.

"I'll take care of them," Ianto said, making his way towards a set of stairs.

"You can let go of her now, Bad Wolf. You're getting a bit clingy," Jack warned. Bad Wolf released Freya immediately, a look of guilt plastered to his face. Freya pulled him in for a one-armed hug.

"Don't worry about being clingy. It feels nice to be needed," Freya told him. Bad Wolf's arms went around her once more.

"I'll always need you," Bad Wolf murmured. His words nearly shattered Freya's heart.

When he finally pulled back, the Doctor had burst through the room, eyes scanning the room. When they landed on Freya, he launched himself at her, pulling her into a tight hug. Freya noticed Martha and James coming in behind him, James moving close so he could hug her the moment the Doctor backed off.

Lil' Red let out a squeak of indignance at the sudden pressure, causing the Doctor to pull back and stare curiously at her.

"Hello there. Who's this?" the Doctor asked Freya. James was hugging her before she could respond. When the two of them pulled back, Freya smiled at Martha.

"Martha, this is Captain Jack Harkness, Bad Wolf, and Lil' Red," Freya introduced. She assumed Ianto would have already introduced himself to them.

"Bad Wolf and Lil' Red? Someone had a thing for fairytales," Martha said sarcastically.

"Oh no. Bad Wolf's our son," the Doctor said, but Freya felt the color drain from her face. She shifted Lil' Red in her arms, staring intently at the girl. Lil' Red merely giggled at her, large brown eyes staring happily at Freya.

Brown eyes that looked like the Doctor's.

"Why aren't I raising her? Why is everyone else raising her?" Freya demanded of Jack, her grip tightening on Lil' Red.

"You are raising her. Just at different points in your timeline. We all get to raise her," Jack explained.

"Then why is this one of the youngest Bad Wolfs I've met? Why don't I raise him like I raise her?" Freya demanded.

"Mom, it's…a bit of a different situation," Bad Wolf said, shooting Jack a look.

"I'm confused," the Doctor said.

"Me too. How is he your son? He's like the same age as you," Martha said.

"Time travel. It's all wibbly-wobbly," Bad Wolf said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Wibbly wobbly. I'll have to use that," the Doctor said thoughtfully.

"Doctor," Freya said, drawing his attention to her. She turned Lil' Red around so that she faced the Doctor.

"This is Lil' Red. Our daughter," she added. The Doctor's eyes widened and his mouth opened before closing. And opening once more.

"Why is she ginger? Oh, that's not fair," the Doctor pouted.

"Maybe a future regeneration?" Freya wondered.

"No. She has this me's eyes. More my shade than yours. She's this me's. Which means we're gonna be getting busy," the Doctor said, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. James smacked the back of the Doctor's head, pushing him forward slightly.

"Not in front of the children," Freya lectured him immediately. The Doctor scowled at James.

Freya hugged Lil' Red once more before frowning.

"She feels a bit warm," Freya said, moving towards a chair. She sat down in the chair and felt Lil' Red's forehead once more before pressing her ear against the child's chest, listening for any sort of wheezing.

It was what she didn't hear that alarmed her.

"Doctor. She only has one heart," Freya said, pulling back, eyes wide. The Doctor was there instantly, pulling a stethoscope from his pocket and listening as well. Freya's head shot up to stare at Jack. Jack, Bad Wolf, and Ianto all had looks of apprehension on their faces.

"Why does she only have one heart?" Freya asked.

"She couldn't have been born with one heart. That wouldn't have worked. And you're right. She is warmer than she should be. Time Lords have colder skin. Is she sick?" the Doctor asked, turning to face Jack and Ianto.

"Dad, you can't ask that," Bad Wolf said.

"What do you mean?" Freya asked. Bad Wolf himself looked stricken. Freya pulled Lil' Red into her arms once more.

"You can't tell me I have another daughter to come, only to tell me that she's sick. Having one heart can't be good at all. Something's got to be wrong," Freya said.

"We can't really tell you. I know when you find out. I remember it, so I know you don't find out now," Bad Wolf said.

"So everyone knows what's wrong with our child but us? How fair is that?" the Doctor asked bitingly.

"Technically she's not your child yet. You haven't even conceived her yet," Jack said, trying to lighten the mood.

"She's going to die, isn't she?" Freya asked softly. Everyone turned to her, eyes wide.

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"She makes it though. She makes it at least until ten. I've seen her at ten. She's alive and well then. But one of you's always with her Watching her, taking her around. Bad Wolf's wife even told me they were wanting to let her see everything. Oh God. She's going to die," Freya whispered in grief.

"But she isn't dead yet. Mom, that's what you have to focus on. You're going to die too, but I don't sit around in sadness thinking about it. I'm happy you're alive, here, now. That's what you have to do too," Bad Wolf said, moving to sit next to her.

"Come on. I think it's time for a trip," Jack said, pulling Freya to her feet before gently prying Lil' Red from her arms.

"You'll see her again. Loads of times," Ianto reassured her.

"But I want to see her now," Freya whispered. James wrapped an arm around her, just as the Doctor tried to. The Doctor glared at James over her head before wrapping his arm around her as well.

"Jack's right. We need an adventure. Anything to take your mind off this. Plus we need to take Martha on a trip. As a thank you for helping me at the hospital," the Doctor said.

"You're taking another companion?" Jack asked, surprised.

"No. Just one trip. We don't need another companion. Not right now," the Doctor said grimly.

"Make sure you come visit more often," Jack said.

"Yeah. I miss you guys," Bad Wolf added.

"We'll visit," Freya promised as both James and the Doctor led her out of the room.

When they got to the TARDIS, James followed them inside automatically.

"Wait. What do you think you're doing?" the Doctor asked him, alarmed.

"I'm coming with you. Obviously. You can't leave me in Cardiff, and you just proved you can't protect her," James said.

"I can protect her just fine," the Doctor spat, glaring intently at James.

"Yeah right. Prove it then. I'll come along on a few trips and we'll see how much safer she is with me there," James said. The Doctor's jaw tightened and he finally nodded.

"Fine. You can stay as long as Martha does. No more though," the Doctor said, spinning abruptly.

"That was rude," Freya told him gently. The Doctor pouted but didn't say anything.

"I'm confused," Martha admitted. Freya shot a glare at the Doctor before making her way to Martha.

"We're taking you on a trip. Past or future, I'm not sure which one we're going to just yet. But it'll be amazing. He's always amazing," Freya reassured Martha. Martha gave her a weak smile.

"Alright. Let's go then," Martha said. Freya nodded towards the Doctor, who's grin grew exponentially at her words.

"Alright then. Allons-y!"

**So my schoolwork is extremely hard this year, so my updates will take a bit more time than usual. I'm sorry. I am still working on it, but I have to turn in ten pages of fiction every week, and it can't be Doctor Who fanfiction. Normally, it could be a fanfiction, but the teacher's wife watches Doctor Who, so he'd recognize the names and I'd not get full credit. So I have two extreme English writing classes along with learning a third language, etc. **

**Just wanted to warn you. That's why this is all you got after a week. I just wanted to get you something before season eight airs tomorrow!**

**Also, on an unrelated note, anybody watch the Legend of Korra Book 3? The feels just killed me. **

**Andi**


	5. The Shakespearean Code

**Here you go! I was going to try finishing it last night but got hooked on a historical fiction short story I had to write for my fiction writing class. Enjoy!**

Chapter 5: The Shakespearan Code

"I still don't understand. How do you travel in time? What makes it go?" Martha asked. She was gripping the TARDIS tightly. Freya was holding on tightly as well, and James was just scoffing at everything. The Doctor himself was flitting about as he usually did.

"Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight," the Doctor said, roping an arm around Freya's waist to secure her in place.

"Blimey!" James shouted as the TARDIS screeched to a stop, knocking both him and Martha to the floor.

"Blimey's right. Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?" Martha wanted to know.

"Yes, and I failed it. Now, make the most of it. I promised you one trip and one trip only. The sooner you go back, the sooner we get rid of James. Outside this door, brave new world," the Doctor said, a grin growing on his lips. Freya couldn't help but grin too. She was excited to see Martha and James's reactions to it.

She was starting to understand why the Doctor liked showing off to people. If everyone acted so amazed, she'd want new people all the time as well.

"Where are we?" Martha asked eagerly.

"Take a look. After you," the Doctor said, gesturing for the door. Martha moved quickly towards the door, James following hesitantly behind her. He kept glancing over his shoulder at Freya. Nonetheless, he quickly followed Martha out the door.

"Where are we really?" Freya wanted to know. The Doctor grabbed a syringe that the TARDIS just shot out to him and stuck Freya in the arm quickly.

"Sorry. TARDIS immunizations. In case we come in contact with something unsavory. I'm not risking you getting sick when we could easily prevent it. Shakespearan England," the Doctor said with a grin.

"And you just let them walk out wearing their clothes? What happened to 'You'll cause a riot. Go change,'?" Freya wanted to know. The Doctor shrugged.

"I hadn't thought about it," he said.

"You'd bettered hope this is a memorable trip for them. I'd hate to disappoint them. I like Martha. She's been a real help to me while you were gone. And so was James," Freya pointed out. The Doctor's expression soured at her words. He sighed and nodded, allowing Freya to pull him towards the door.

"You've changed," the Doctor admitted suddenly.

"I'm sure you have too. It's been a few months," Freya told him gently. Freya stepped out of the TARDIS alongside the Doctor.

"Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God, we did it. We travelled in time. Where are we? No, sorry. I got to get used to this whole new language. When are we?" she asked, turning towards the Doctor. James grabbed her by the jacket, pulling her back quickly.

"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Obviously," James said in disdain as a man threw out a bucket of stuff, only narrowing missing Martha and James.

"Sorry about that," the Doctor said awkwardly.

"I've seen worse. I've worked late night shift A & E. But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?" Martha wanted to know.

"Of course we can. If we couldn't he wouldn't have brought us here," James said.

"Be nice," Freya told James sternly.

"Why do you ask?" the Doctor asked, staring at her.

"It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race," Martha said.

"Tell you what then, don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?" the Doctor asked Martha seriously.

"What if, I don't know, I kill my grandfather?" Martha asked.

"Are you planning on killing people?" Freya asked in alarm, gripping the Doctor's hand automatically at her words.

"No," Martha said.

"Well, then," the Doctor said with a nod.

"And this is London?" Martha asked.

"I think so. Round about 1599," the Doctor said.

"Round about 1599. Couldn't be more precise, could you? Show off," James grumbled, but Freya noticed that even he was glancing about in awe.

"Oh, but hold on. Am I alright? I'm not going to get carted off as a slave, am I?" Martha asked in alarm.

"Why would they do that?" the Doctor asked, truly puzzled.

"Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed," Martha pointed out.

"I'm not even human. Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me. Besides, you'd be surprised. Elizabethan England, not so different from your own time. Look over there. They've got recycling," the Doctor said, pointing to a man who was shoveling house manure into a bucket. Freya's nose scrunched up automatically at the sight.

"Water cooler moment," James suggested, pointing towards two men talking at a water barrel.

"And the world will be consumed by flame," a man was saying from the street. Freya grinned.

"And global warming, right?" Freya asked with a grin. Both James and the Doctor beamed down at her with her words.

"Oh, yes, and entertainment! Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark, right next to," the Doctor stopped talking, pulling Freya along as he took off running. Freya could hear feet pounding behind her and assumed James and Martha were on their heels.

"Oh yes, the Globe Theatre! Brand new, just opened. Strictly speaking, it's not a globe, it's a tetradecagon. Fourteen sides. Containing the man himself," the Doctor said with a grin as Martha and James caught up.

"Patrick Moore?" Freya teased. The Doctor rolled his eyes at her.

"Why does it always come down to Patrick Moore?" he wanted to know.

"Whoa, you don't mean….is Shakespeare in there?" Martha asked in awe.

"Oh yes. Miss Jones, Mr. McCrimmon, would you care to accompany Mrs. Doctor and I to the theatre?" the Doctor asked. Freya could only roll her eyes at his words.

"Why, Mister Smith, I will," Martha said.

"The dramatics," James said in disdain, only for Freya to grab his hand with her free hand, eliciting a frown from the Doctor.

"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare," the Doctor told Martha, obviously recoiling from James's lack of impressed attitude.

"Then I could get sectioned," Martha said with a grin. The Doctor shot a look at James.

"Why James, you should go out and proclaim it to the world, when you get home, where you were," the Doctor suggested cheekily.

"That, husband, is rude," Freya reminded him.

"Wife, he was rude first," the Doctor said with a pout.

"You're like a child, you know that right? An overgrown child," James protested.

"Boys, I won't have this fighting. You can get along or I'll separate you and you can spend a week in separate rooms of the TARDIS, alone," Freya threatened.

"You can't threaten to separate me in my own ship," the Doctor protested.

"Yes I can. I think she likes me better," Freya said with her own grin as they made their way towards the theatre.

The performance was amazing. Freya had only had the pleasure of watching a Shakespeare play once, and her prior experience paled in comparison to the real deal. Freya had no problem joining in with the clapping alongside the rest of the audience.

"That's amazing! Just amazing. It's worth putting up with the smell. And those are men dressed up as women, yeah?" Martha asked.

"London never changes," the Doctor said before turning to Freya.

"What did you think?" he wanted to know.

"Absolutely fantastic," Freya said with a smile. The Doctor grinned right back at her as James let out a dramatic sigh from their other side.

"Where's Shakespeare? I want to see Shakespeare. Author! Author! Do people shout that? Do they shout Author?" Martha asked.

"They didn't," James informed her just as a man behind her started shouting Author. The rest of the crowd quickly jumped in, causing James to roll his eyes and the Doctor to laugh.

"They do now," Freya said with a grin. Her grin stayed in place as a man made his way on stage, bowing dramatically to the applause.

"I take it that's him?" Freya asked.

"Oh yeah," the Doctor said, staring intently.

"What gave it away, the massive ego?" James asked. Freya giggled at his words as the crowd's cheering died down a bit.

"He's a bit different from his portraits," Martha said uncomfortably.

"Genius. He's a genius. The genius. The most human human there's ever been. Now we're going to hear him speak. Always he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words," the Doctor said, staring intently at Shakespeare.

"Ah, shut your big fat mouths!" Shakespeare shouted. Freya turned to the Doctor, watching as his excited expression faded immediately to one of disappointment.

"Oh well," the Doctor said.

"Which is why you should never meet your heroes," James pointed out. On stage, Shakespeare continued talking, having not a care in the world.

"You're got excellent taste, I'll give you that. Oh, that's a wig," he said, pointing to a man in the audience. The crowd continued to laugh.

"I know what you're all saying. Love's Labour's Lost, that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops. Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius," Shakespeare announced.

"Isn't that true," Freya teased the Doctor. His only reaction was to wrap an arm around her waist and give her a quick squeeze. Freya glanced back on stage to see Shakespeare suddenly stand up straighter and his expression blank.

"When? Tomorrow night. The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it Loves Labour's Won," Shakespeare announced, his voice barely above monotonous. The Doctor quickly pulled Freya towards the door, James and Martha struggling to keep up with them. As soon as they made it to the street, Martha moved up so she was in step with the Doctor and Freya. James also moved up, standing next to Freya rather than the Doctor.

"I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of Loves Labour's Won," Martha said slowly.

"Exactly. The lost play. It doesn't exist, only in rumors. It's mentioned in lists of his plays but never ever turns up. And no one knows why," the Doctor said ominously.

"Have you got a mini-disc or something? We can tape it. We ca flog it. Sell it when we get hom and make a mint," Martha suggested.

"Don't be stupid. That's why humans don't have time travel," James scoffed at her.

"That would be bad?" Martha said slowly.

"Yeah," the Doctor agreed.

"That's not important. What's important is why it disappeared in the first place. That's what we need to figure out. When we figure that out, we'll figure out what's going wrong here. I reckon it has something to do with aliens," Freya said.

"Oh? How do you reckon that?" Martha asked, staring at her in confusion.

"The Doctor's here. That's how I reckon it. Even if aliens weren't originally involved, they will be now," Freya said, winking at the Doctor.

"Oh, that's not fair. I don't always muck things up," the Doctor whined.

"No. You don't muck it up. But you're really good at attracting trouble," Freya pointed out.

"I attracted you," the Doctor reminded her.

"I guess that makes me trouble," Freya teased right back.

"Enough with the flirting. I think I'm gonna hurl," James said as he rolled his eyes once more.

"You're fine. You're just jealous," the Doctor dismissed. The Doctor pulled them along, down the streets.

"Where are we going?" James asked.

"To the pub. To get some authentic food. And then to find Shakespeare. The odds of finding him immediately after a play isn't good. We'll pop in for a quick bite to eat and then track him down at his hotel," the Doctor explained.

"So in the meantime, we're just supposed to sit back and relax?" Martha wanted to know.

"Pretty much, yeah," the Doctor nodded in agreement.

"I thought it was all excitement and running with you," Martha complained.

"Thank goodness it isn't. I'd never be able to keep up if it was!" Freya complained teasingly. The Doctor led them to a small, less noisy pub than what Freya would have expected.

After eating, the lot of them made their way towards a hotel. They passed a disgruntled man as they entered the room where Shakespeare was.

"I've just got the final scene to go. You'll get it by morning," Shakespeare shouted after the man. The Doctor grinned, waving slightly at Shakespeare.

"Hello! Excuse, us, not interrupting, are we? Mister Shakespeare, isn't it?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh no. No, no, no. Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove….hey, nonny nonny," Shakespeare's eyes widened as they landed on Martha. Freya was standing behind the Doctor and not in sight of him yet.

She was glad she wasn't.

"Sit right down here next to me. You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go," Shakespeare ordered the servants in the room. Martha made her way over to Shakespeare. James shifted as well, leaving Freya in view. She automatically slipped her hand into the Doctor's.

"Come on, lads. I think our William's found his new muse," the one servant said before leaving. Shakespeare was too enameled with Martha to notice it.

"Sweet lady," Shakespeare began, examining Martha.

"Dear lord," James muttered in irritation as Martha giggled slightly at the interest being shown to her.

"Such unusual clothes. So fitted," Shakespeare murmured.

"Er, verily, forsooth, egads," Martha began attempting.

"No, no, don't do that. Don't," the Doctor said immediately. He then pulled out his psychic paper and held it up to Shakespeare.

"I'm Sir Doctor of the TARDIS. This is my wife, Dame Freya of the TARDIS, our companion, Miss Martha Jones, and our servant, James McCrimmon," the Doctor said. James shot the Doctor a glare, of which he artfully avoided.

"Interesting, that bit of paper. It's blank," Shakespeare said. The Doctor pulled it back and looked at it as he sat down. Freya remained awkwardly standing behind him.

"Oh, that's very clever. That proves it. Absolute genius," the Doctor breathed.

"No, it says so right there. Sir Doctor, Dame Freya, Martha Jones, James McCrimmon. It says so," Martha said.

"And I say it's blank," Shakespeare countered.

"Psychic paper. Er, long story. Oh, I hate starting from scratch," the Doctor complained.

"It takes what you want it to say and makes people see it. It doesn't work on geniuses, from what the Doctor has said," Freya tried explaining in the most simple terms she could.

"Psychic? Never heard that word before and words are my trade. Who are you exactly. More's to the point, who is your delicious blackamoor lady?" Shakespeare said, eyes glued to Martha. Freya let out a quiet giggle as movement caught the corner of her eye. She turned quickly to see a girl in red standing in the doorway, watching with wide eyes.

Lil' Red.

Freya quickly moved towards the door. When the little girl spotted her, her eyes widened but she stayed in spot. Freya bent down in front of her.

"Lil' Red?" Freya asked for clarification. The little girl's eyes widened and the threw her arms around Freya.

"I was hoping you knew me. I hate it when you don't know me. Bad Wolf said I could come see either Shakespeare or Charles Dickens but he said you'd possibly be here if I said Shakespeare," Lil' Red gushed. Freya smiled and started to pick her up only to wince.

Lil' Red wasn't that big. She couldn't have been more than seven. But she was too big for Freya to lift. Freya frowned at the realization but Lil' Red smiled nonetheless, slipping her hand inside of Freya's.

"Well then, let's go meet Shakespeare," Freya said, pulling her into the room.

"Shakespeare, I would like to introduce my daughter to you. She adores your writing and was hoping to meet you," Freya said, drawing everyone's attention.

"That's Shakespeare?" Lil' Red asked in awe as she stared at him.

"Yes. Go say hi. He's just a normal person, like you and me. Only he's brilliant. Like Daddy," Freya said with a grin as she gave the girl a little push forward. Lil' Red held out her hand to Shakespeare, who kissed it and winked at her.

"What a beautiful shade of hair you have, my dear," he said as Lil' Red turned as red as said hair. Before another word could be uttered, a man stormed into the room.

"Excuse me! Hold hard a moment! This is abominable behavior. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mister Shakespeare. As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be performed," the man said with an air of importance.

"Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'll send it round," Shakespeare said, waving him off as he released Lil' Red's hair.

"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine. The script, now!" the man demanded.

"I can't," Shakespeare said simply.

"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled. I'm returning to my office for a baning order. If it's the last thing I do, Love's Labours Won will never be played," the man said before storming out.

"Well then, mystery solved. That's Love's Labours won over and done with. Thought it might be something more, you know, mysterious," Martha said sadly as a man's scream came from the street, echoed by a woman's. The Doctor was on his feet in a second, rushing out the door. Martha and James followed closely behind as Freya gripped Lil' Red's hand and tugged her along. Shakespeare followed alongside Freya, even going as far as to help her down the stairs in their rush.

They got downstairs and out in time to see the man that had been shouting in Shakespeare's office fall to the ground. Martha was hovering over him, as was the Doctor. Martha went to clear his airway when water started gushing out of his lungs. Freya quickly pulled Lil' Red to her, not wanting the girl to see the sight.

"What the hell is that?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"I've never seen a death like it. His lungs are full of water. He drowned and then, I don't know, like a blow to the heart, an invisible blow," he said, standing up and spinning around.

"Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humours. A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away," the Doctor said.

"Yes sir," said the woman.

"I'll do it, ma'am," a younger girl volunteered before scampering off, a wide grin on her face.

A grin much too big for someone that just watched a man die.

"And why are you telling them that?" Martha asked.

"You can't just tell people in this age the truth. They'll think it's witchcraft. They still have at least one foot in the Dark Ages," James pointed out.

"And what is the truth?" Martha asked him.

"Witchcraft," the Doctor said simply before turning to Lil' Red.

"I don't think we've met before. At least, not officially with me knowing who you were. I'm the Doctor," he said. Lil' Red giggled.

"Yes I know," Lil' Red said. The Doctor looked affronted and huffed, only making Lil' Red giggle even more.

"Are you getting sassy with me?" the Doctor asked her, causing her giggles to increase.

"We should probably move this inside before we get suspicious looks. This is technically a crime scene," James said, crossing his arms. Lil' Red turned to James and threw herself at him, hugging his knees tightly. Freya's eyebrows furrowed together at the sight. James awkwardly picked the girl up, shooting both Freya and the Doctor a confused look.

"Uncle James!" she cried out happily.

"I don't know if I should feel happy about the greeting or offended that you only just noticed me now," James said as Lil' Red's arms wrapped even more tightly around him.

"Wait. You said that was Lil' Red. Do you mean the same Lil' Red that was just a baby?" Martha asked as they entered the hotel.

"Time travel. It's a bit confusing," Freya said.

"Time travel," Shakespeare murmured. Freya turned, giving him what she hoped was a soothing smile.

"I do hope we aren't confusing you too dreadfully. I'd feel awful if we were," Freya said. Shakespeare glanced up at her and shook his head quickly.

"Oh no, of course not. It is refreshing to have to think about such things," Shakespeare said with a smile as he opened the door to his room, allowing them all inside.

The woman from earlier made her way in the room.

"I was able to get you a room, Sir Doctor. You and your party are just across the landing. It's a bit small for the five of you, but I brought a few extra blankets," the woman said.

"Thank you. Your kindness is appreciated," Freya told the woman warmly.

"Poor Lynley. So many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor?" Shakespeare said.

"Freedonia?" Lil' Red asked in a giggle.

"Your father isn't great at making up names," James told the girl, causing her to giggle once more. He sat her down and she had her hand in Freya's instantly.

"Where a woman can do what she likes," Martha corrected.

"And you, Sir Doctor. How can a man so young have eyes so old?"

"I do a lot of reading," the Doctor said, his expression blank.

"A trite reply. Yeah, that's what I'd do. And you? You look at him like you're surprised he exists. He's as much of a puzzle to you as he is to me," Shakespeare said to Martha before glancing at James.

"You're so incredibly jealous of him, it rolls off of you in waves. You wanted Dame Freya, if I am reading it correctly. Dame Freya, who has a child of seven although she cannot be more than twenty herself. A child who appeared from nowhere," Shakespeare said.

"I think we should say goodnight," the Doctor said suddenly.

"I must work. I have a play to complete. But I'll get my answers tomorrow, Docotr, and I'll discover more about you and why this constant performance of yours," Shakespeare said.

"All the world's a stage," the Doctor quoted.

"Hmm. I might use that. Goodnight, Doctor," Shakespeare said.

"Nighty night, Shakespeare," the Doctor said.

"Don't stay up too late. You need your rest as well," Freya told him automatically. Shakespeare gave her a smile as the Doctor tugged her out of the room and into their own room across the landing.

A room with a single twin sized bed and a chair. Martha had a candle that she was using to examine the room.

"It's not exactly five star, is it?" Martha asked.

"Oh, it'll do. I've see worse," the Doctor said with a shrug.

"Worse for five people?" James wanted to know.

"I haven't even got a toothbrush," Martha said to herself as the Doctor started digging in his jacket. He whipped out a toothbrush, handing it to Martha without a second's delay.

"Contains Venusian spearmint," he told her.

"That's all nice and dandy, but how are sleeping arrangements?" James wanted to know. He picked up the lone blanket that had been left in the room for them and glanced about the room once more.

"Lil' Red and I can curl up on the blanket on the floor," Freya volunteered.

"No. You can go on the bed," James said automatically.

"I'm not overly comfortable lying down at all anymore, not with my stomach," Freya said, motioning towards her stomach. It had gotten much larger over the last few months, becoming more of an inconvenience than anything else.

"I can sleep down there with you two," James offered, only for the Doctor's eyes to narrow.

"Um, I'll sleep with my wife and child. Not you," the Doctor said, eyes flashing.

"Who do you think she had to share a bed with to sleep properly at night while you were gone?" James asked, his own expression turning dangerous.

"She's MY wife. Not yours. The sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be," the Doctor said.

"I was the one taking care of her when you abandoned her. I made sure she ate, got checked up, and slept. Not you," James shot back angrily.

"Please don't fight," Lil' Red said quietly, her eyes watering. Freya wrapped her arms around Lil' Red and the boys continued glaring at each other.

"Well I'm back now. We have no need for you," the Doctor spat.

"Speak for yourself. You've had her back for what, two days? Three? And you've already lost her and almost got her killed by the Shadow Proclamation. You didn't even manage to rescue that. Your SON did," James pointed out angrily.

"That's it. You're going home tomorrow. I'm not having you anywhere near us anymore," the Doctor declared.

"Just STOP! Please!" Lil' Red cried before bursting into tears.

"Boys. Please. You're upsetting my daughter, and I don't appreciate it," Freya told them. Both men still glared at each other but shot her a clearly chastised look.

"Now, I think we need to work this out right now. Otherwise, you two will wait until we're in the middle of some sort of chase and try hashing it out then. And I am not having you put my daughter or Martha in danger because of your jealousy and incompetence. Doctor, sit on the bed. James, sit in the chair," Freya ordered. Both men slowly moved to sit where she'd ordered them to. Freya slowly lowered herself to the ground. Lil' Red, still sniffling, sat down next to her. Martha stood awkwardly until Frey patted the ground next to her. Martha sat gratefully next to her.

"Now, we clearly have some problems. James, I am not your Freya. I hate to say it, but I am not her and I will never be her. I am married to the Doctor. You are my friend, one of my dearest friends outside of Donna, but you are only my friend. You are not my husband," Freya told him sternly. The Doctor looked positively giddy, shooting James a superior grin. Freya turned to catch his expression and her frown grew.

"And you. You're acting like a child," Freya told him. The Doctor's grin vanished.

"But Freya!" the Doctor tried whining, only for Freya to glare at him.

"No. No buts. James is one of my best friends, and despite what you think, he is important to me. He did take care of me when you weren't there. You can't deny that. He sacrificed everything to save my life and then stayed around to take care of me when I felt too broken to take care of myself," Freya said.

"You are both important to me, and will stay that way if Lil' Red's reaction to James is anything to go by. I will not have the two of you fighting and acting like this. It's unacceptable, especially in front of my children. This is supposed to be a fun trip for Martha. Remember? Martha, who helped save our lives. And you two are acting like children. Martha will sleep down here with Lil' Red and I. You two can share the bed," Freya decided. Both men paled at her words.

"No we can't!" James protested.

"We won't fit!" the Doctor added, eliciting a glare from James.

"You should have thought about that before you made my daughter cry. Now turn out the lights and we'll get some sleep. James, toss us that blanket," Freya ordered. James grabbed the blanket from where it had been sitting by the chair and threw it to Freya. Martha spread it out as the Doctor put out the candle.

They hadn't been laying long before a scream sounded from the room across from them.

Shakespeare's room. The Doctor and James were out the room in a heartbeat, with Martha trailing quickly behind them. It took Freya a bit longer to sit up as Lil' Red rubbed the sleep from her eyes. They both entered the room just as Martha spun around from the window, eyes wide.

"Doctor?" Martha said.

"What did you see?" the Doctor asked.

"A witch," Martha whispered.

"You have got to be kidding me," Freya whispered. First there was Charles Dickens and the ghosts and now Shakespeare and witches? The irony was not lost on her.

"Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey. She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place when we all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit," Shakespeare said. Freya glanced out the window to see the sun slowly coming up.

Another sleepless night. Lil' Red was rubbing her eyes next to them.

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light," the Doctor quoted.

"I might use that," Shakespeare said thoughtfully.

"You can't. It's someone else's," the Doctor said slowly.

"But the thing is, Lynley drowned on dry land. Dolly died of fright. And they're both connected to you," Martha said to Shakespeare.

"It does look a bit suspicious," James agreed.

"You're accusing me?" Shakespeare asked in disbelief.

"No, but I saw a withc, big as you like, flying, cackling away, and you've written about witches," Martha said.

"I have? When was that?" Shakespeare asked.

"Not, not quite yet," the Doctor drifted off.

"Peter Streete spoke of witches," Shakespeare said thoughtfully.

"Who's that?" Lil' Red asked with a yawn.

"Our builder. He sketched the plans to the Globe," Shakespeare explained.

"The architect. Hold on. The architect! The architect! The Globe! Come on!" the Doctor shouted cheerfully, pulling them along.

As they entered the theater, Lil' Red was dragging a bit behind.

"Have you been here before?" Freya asked Lil' Red. She shook her head, staring about in sleepy awe.

"Doctor, I think I'm going to take Lil' Red back to the TARDIS for a nap. She's exhausted," Freya said. The Doctor turned, looking confused.

"Tired? A kid of mine?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Tired. She is a child, and children do need their sleep. They aren't built for this sort of life," Freya pointed out.

The moment the words left her lips, she realized she shouldn't have said them. The Doctor's expression melted into a mask of indifference as he nodded.

"Do what you want," he said, turning away. Freya thought about saying something, or amending her statement. But she had nothing to apologize for. It was the truth.

Freya led Lil' Red back to the TARDIS. Lil' Red offered little resistance, her eyes drooping even farther down with each step.

"Darling, how did you get here? Is there anyone I need to contact for you?" Freya asked as she pushed open the door to hers and the Doctor's bedroom. Lil' Red shook her head.

"Bad Wolf dropped me off. Said I'd be fine. I wanted my own adventure," Lil' Red said with another yawn as she crawled into the bed. Freya smiled at her and tucked the blankets around her, kissing her forehead as Lil' Red's eyes slid shut.

"I'm going to go keep your father out of trouble. If you need anything, I've got my cell on me. The TARDIS'll give you a phone and the number to get ahold of me. I'll do my best to make sure we're back by the time you wake up. Please don't leave the TARDIS without telling me," Freya begged. Lil' Red nodded sleepily, eyes already closed.

"I love you," Lil' Red murmured sleepily.

"I love you too, darling. Get some rest," Freya said, slinking out of the room.

She made it to the console room before she realized she was crying. She made her way to the console, quickly pulling up the screen. The Gallifreyan words stared back at her.

"Please. I need to know what's wrong with her," Freya begged the TARDIS. Slowly, the words on the screen started shifting around on the screen.

_Not yet. _

Freya stared at the words.

"Please. Why can't I know? Is there anything you can tell me?" Freya begged.

_She is fully human. One heart. Her body couldn't handle the Time Lord consciousness. It was disposed of. But her body needed more than a human's abilities. Her body can only run on a limited time without the Time Lord consciousness, and the method used to separate her from the consciousness did not allow for a reconnection._

Freya felt sick at the words. She shook her head.

"We can change that. We can change the future. We can save her if we start early enough," Freya argued.

_You know you can't._

Freya stepped back from the screen and sank down into the chair.

And began to cry.

12356789875321

She must have fallen asleep. When she woke up, she was still alone in the TARDIS console room. She quickly rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and made her way out of the room.

She hurried towards the motel where they had spent the night, hoping she could find some clue as to where they were if she made it there. She quickly made her way up the stairs and tumbled into the room to find them all there, none looking too happy.

"The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend," the Doctor said grimly.

"Well, I'm going for real," Shakespeare said.

"For once, I'm going to agree with Shakespeare," James said.

"But what do they want?" Martha asked.

"Probably what all aliens seem to want. Earth," Freya supplied, drawing their attention to her. The Doctor had her in his arms immediately.

"Where have you been?" he asked worriedly.

"I fell asleep while putting Lil' Red down for bed. Sorry. I just woke up," she said.

"You've been crying," James observed.

"Don't we have something more important to be doing?" Freya asked, hoping to draw their attention from her.

"Nothing's more important," the Doctor contradicted.

"Um, I'm pretty sure the Earth is more important," Martha said carefully, earning herself a glare from the Doctor.

"She's right. So these Carrionites are the witches Martha saw?" Freya asked. The Doctor nodded, releasing her.

"They do want Earth. A new empire on Earth. A world of bones and blood and witchcraft," the Doctor said ominously.

"But how?" Martha asked.

"You saw them. They use words. We're with one of the greatest men of words of all time," James said, gesturing towards Shakespeare.

"Me? But I've done nothing," Shakespeare said in disbelief.

"Hold on, though. What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?" Martha asked.

"Finishing the play," Shakespeare said, confused.

"And at the end, something happens. Something that will allow the Carrionites to take over the world," Freya guessed. Shakespeare started to shake his head but paused.

"I don't actually remember writing the last few lines," Shakespeare said suddenly.

"That's it. They used you. They gave you the final words like a spell, like a code. Love's Labours Won. It's a weapon. The right combination of words, spoken at the right place, with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! The play's the thing! And yes, you can have that!" the Doctor shouted.

He hopped around the room, selecting a map from a pile of papers and examining it carefully.

"What are you looking for?" Freya asked.

"All Hallows Street. Peter Streete said that that was where the Carrionites were. At least, he said it before they killed him," James said grimly.

"The Globe creator?" Freya asked. Martha nodded.

"All Hallows Street. There it is. Martha, you and James go with Shakespeare and get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play," the Doctor ordered.

"Shouldn't one of us go with you?" Martha asked.

"Freya is," the Doctor said, puzzled.

"But shouldn't one of us who can actually help you go?" Martha asked. Her words were met with silence as everyone stared at her.

"I can help him," Freya said, puzzled.

"But, with the baby. You can't run. And you can't lift anything. You really can't do much," Martha pointed out.

"It hasn't been an issue before," Freya said, getting irritated.

"Martha, we can handle it. Now, go!" the Doctor ordered.

"All these years, I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing," Shakespeare said in awe.

"Oh, don't complain," Martha said, irritated.

"I'm not. It's marvelous. Good luck, Doctor," Shakespeare said.

"Good luck, Shakespeare. Once more unto the breach," the Doctor quoted.

"I like that. Wait a minute, that's one of mine," Shakespeare said in disbelief.

"Oh, just shift!" the Doctor complained. The three of them took off running out of the room. The Doctor slid his hand into Freya's and pulled her along as well, dashing down the stairs and into the street. He pulled Freya along through the streets until they reached the right street.

"Was Lil' Red still sleeping when you left?" the Doctor asked.

"I believe so. She hadn't come out and the TARDIS didn't lock me in," Freya pointed out.

"Good. She could probably use the sleep," the Doctor said, glancing at the houses on the street.

"Here we are. But which house?" the Doctor asked as a door slowly opened in front of them. Freya gripped the Doctor's hand tighter.

"Ah. Make that witch house. Come on," he said, pulling Freya in after him. They entered and made their way up the stairs to the main room, where a girl was waiting on them.

"I take it we're expected," the Doctor said slowly as they entered the room. The girl nodded, smiling eerily at them.

"Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you a very long time," she said sweetly.

"How are we supposed to do this? Are we giving her a chance?" Freya asked the Doctor. She wasn't sure what all she missed.

"No. She's already killed a man in front of us," the Doctor said coldly.

"Funny. She wasn't there for the naming. Should I show her? See, we have a gift. Our power is words, and names are powerful. Observe. All I see is someone weary, a girl I will name Freya O'Leary," the girl said. Freya felt consciousness fade from her and she fell forward quickly. Her mind was pushed back to Bad Wolf, who effectively freaked out at the sudden intrusion. Freya proceeded to calm him before fighting her own way back into consciousness.

She was able to wake herself in time to see the Doctor fall over as the witch flew away. Freya threw herself upward and towards the Doctor, falling over his body. She quickly felt his chest. One heart. The other wasn't beating.

She'd stopped his heart without realizing he had two. She quickly listened, trying to figure out which heart wasn't working. He sucked in a sudden breath as she did, startling her.

"How do I restart your other heart?" Frey asked him.

"Hit me on the chest? I've only got one heart working! How do you people cope?" the Doctor complained as he stood. Freya hit his chest as hard as she dared.

"Harder, and other side!" the Doctor ordered. Freya did as he asked.

"Lovely! There we go. Badda booma! Well, come on! We've got to get to the Globe!" the Doctor ordered, grabbing Freya's hand and pulling her along quickly behind him. Freya stumbled behind him, still feeling the effects of whatever the witch did on her system.

He started pulling her down the streets in the opposite direction from which they'd come.

"I think we're going the wrong way," Freya said.

"No, we're not! Wait! We're going the wrong way!" the Doctor shouted, turning abruptly and pulling Freya along in the opposite direction. They made their way to the Globe just as a red glow seemed to form over it.

"I told thee so! I told thee!" the preacher they'd heard talking about the world end the day before shouted.

"Stage door!" the Doctor shouted to Freya, who was doing good just to tag behind him. They enter to see Shakespeare slowly waking up.

"Where's James and Martha?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know," Shakespeare said hazily.

"I told you three to stop the play! That's all you had to do," the Doctor shouted at him.

"I hit my head," Shakespeare said, rubbing his head.

"Yeah, don't rub it, you'll go bald. I think that's my cue," the Doctor said, pushing his way on the stage. Freya followed shakily behind him. Shakespeare steadied her and the two made it on the stage too. From there, Freya could see the witches from before in the balcony. Two of them were fighting with Martha. James was slumped over by them. The witch they'd seen held some sort of crystal ball up and a ton of witches started flying about the theater.

"Come on, Will! History needs you!" the Doctor shouted at him.

"But what can I do?" Shakespeare asked in grief.

"Reverse it!" the Doctor shouted.

"How am I supposed to do that?" he asked.

"You can," Freya promised him.

"The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius. The only man clever enough to do it," the Doctor said.

"He'll never be that modest again," Freya joked to Shakespeare, who let out a nervous giggle at her words.

"But what words? I have none ready," Shakespeare said to Freya.

"Make them up. That's what you're good at. And we're here, if you get stuck," Freya reassured him. Shakespeare stared at her for a moment before looking up.

"Close up this din of hateful, dire decay, decomposition of your witches' plot. You thieve my brain, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am not!" Shakespeare shouted. The witch from before looked horrified.

"No! Words of power!" she shried.

"Foul Carrionite spectres, cease your show. Between the points," Shakespeare drifted off, glancing to the Doctor.

"Seven six one three nine oh!" the Doctor shouted.

"Seven six one three nine oh! Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee," Shakespeare stopped once more.

"Expelliarmus!" Martha shouted from the balcony.

"Expelliarmus!" the Doctor repeated happily.

"Expelliarmus!" Shakespeare finished.

"Good old JK!" the Doctor cheered as the Carrionites screamed.

A massive tornado appeared, sucking in all of the Carrionites and the pages of the play, sucking it all upward before disappearing completely.

"Love's Labours Won. There it goes," the Doctor said as someone in the audience slowly began clapping. The rest of the audience immediately joined in.

Martha made her way down to them, helping a dazed looking James.

"They think it was all special effects?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"Stupid apes," James said with a shrug.

"Your effect is special indeed," Shakespeare said to Martha.

"It's not your best line," Martha said with a shrug. The lot of them bowed before making their way backstage. Freya sank gratefully down onto a bench, James sitting quickly beside her.

"Are you okay?" she asked James.

"I think I should be asking you that," James pointed out, but he nodded nonetheless.

"I'm fine. They used my name on me," James said.

"Ah. They did that to me too," Freya said. She glanced over to see Martha and Shakespeare talking. As they were, the Doctor entered wearing a small stiff ruff and carrying an animal skull.

"And that is your husband," James said drily.

"He's not keeping either of them," Freya informed James.

"Good props store back there. I'm not sure about this though. Reminds me of a Sycorax," the Doctor said, showing it to Freya. He was right. It did sort of resemble a Sycorax head, if she squinted and tilted her head sideways….and closed her eyes.

"Sycorax. Nice word. I'll have that off you as well," Shakespeare said.

"I should be on ten percent. How's your head?" the Doctor asked.

"Still aching," Shakespeare admitted.

"Here, put this on," the Doctor said, pulling the neck piece off and wrapping it around Shakespeare's neck.

"You are not the reason he wears that," Freya said in disbelief as the Doctor winked at her.

"Neck brace. Wear that for a few days till it's better, although you might want to keep it. It suits you," the Doctor said.

"What about the play?" Martha asked the Doctor.

"Gone. I looked all over. Every single copy of Love's Labours Won went up in the sky," the Doctor said.

"You sure got a lot done in a short amount of time," Freya pointed out with a grin.

"Time Lord," the Doctor said, grinning as well and pointing at himself.

"My lost masterpiece," Shakespeare said sadly to himself.

"You could write it up again," Martha said reassuringly.

"Yeah, better not, Will. There's still power in those words. Maybe it should best stay forgotten," the Doctor recommended.

"Oh, but I've got new ideas. Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons in memory of my boy, my precious Hamnet," Shakespeare said.

"Hamnet?" Freya asked, staring at him.

"That's him," Shakespeare.

"Hamnet?" Martha repeated.

"It's a lovely name," Freya said quickly.

"What's wrong? That's the name of the play," James whispered.

"Not in our dimension it's not," Freya hissed back.

"Anyway, time we were off. I've got to drop both Martha and James off in Freedonia," the Doctor said.

"You mean travel on through time and space," Shakespeare said casually. Every head jerked up to stare at him in disbelief.

"You what?" the Doctor asked, gaping.

"You're from another world like the Carrionites, and Martha is from the future. James is from another reality. And Freya's with you always. It's not hard to work out," Shakespeare said with a shrug.

"That's incredible. You are incredible," the Doctor finally managed to say.

"We're alike in many ways, Doctor. Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate…" he drifted off as two of the actors ran back stage.

"Will!" they shouted excitedly.

"You're never going to believe it. She's here. She's turned up!" the one said.

"We're the talk of the town. She wants us to perform it again," the man said.

"Who?" James asked curiously.

"Her Majesty. She's here!" the actor said happily. The Doctor pulled Freya and the others out onto the stage in time for a queen to walk into the room.

"Queen Elizabeth the First!" the Doctor exclaimed happily.

"Doctor?" Queen Elizabeth said sharply.

"What?" the Doctor asked, staring at her in shock.

"Freya?" the queen asked in anger. Freya jumped.

"What?" Freya repeated the Doctor's sentiments.

"Part of my sworn enemies!" she cried.

"What?" Freya cried out, staring at the Doctor in alarm. He shrugged, also appearing just as shocked as her.

"Off with their heads!" she shouted.

"WHAT?" the Doctor shouted, his voice going squeaky.

"Never mind what, just run! See you, Will, and thanks!" Martha shouted.

"Stop that pernicious couple!" Queen Elizabeth shouted angrily. The Doctor started laughing as he pulled his entourage after him and back to the TARDIS.

"What have you two done to upset her?" Martha asked as they approached the TARDIS.

"How should we know? Haven't even met her yet. That's time travel for you. Still, I can't wait to find out what we did," the Doctor said, winking at Freya.

He threw the TARDIS door open and shoved them inside quickly.

"That's something to look forward to!"

**Sooo...what do you guys think? I'm going to try to get you a chapter every two weeks. I literally just finished this, so I apologize for any errors. I didn't have a chance to reread over it. I just wanted to give it to you guys. I hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review!**

**Andi**


	6. Gridlock

**So...I couldn't resist. That's the warning I leave you with. **

Chapter 6: Gridlock

The Doctor bounced around the TARDIS, looking as though he were trying to make a tough decision.

"Just one trip. That's what I said. One trip in the TARDIS, and then home. Although I suppose we could stretch the definition for you, Martha. One trip trip into the past, one trip into the future. How do you fancy that?" the Doctor asked Martha.

"You can't leave James out. That's not fair," Freya pointed out, crossing her arms.

"I can too. My TARDIS," the Doctor pointed out.

"If you're going to be a jerk about it, you may have to leave me behind too. Again," Freya threatened. It was the last thing she wanted to threaten, but she couldn't help it. Ever since Martha had met the Doctor, she seemed to be shooting Freya more dirty looks and seemed to like Freya less. Freya really didn't want to be stuck with the Doctor and Martha alone.

Especially when Martha kept pointing out all the things Freya couldn't do anymore.

The Doctor's jaw stiffened but he didn't say another word, just turned to Martha, waiting for her answer.

"No complaints from me," Martha said.

"How about a different planet?" the Doctor suggested.

"Can we go to yours?" Martha asked eagerly.

Freya's heart dropped at her words. The Doctor stopped his movements.

"Ah, there's plenty of other places," the Doctor tried, but Martha shook her head.

"Come on, though. I mean, planet of the Time Lords. That's got to be worth a look. What's it like?" Martha wanted to know. Freya took a step towards the Doctor.

"Well, it's beautiful, yeah," the Doctor said slowly.

"Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?" Martha asked, soaking up his words like a sponge.

"I suppose it is," the Doctor said with a nod, gripping the TARDIS so tight his hand turned bone white.

"Great big temples and cathedrals!" Martha guessed.

"Yeah," the Doctor murmured.

"Lots of planets in the sky?" Martha wanted to know.

"Martha!" Freya said, trying to cut her off. The Doctor shook his head at Freya, glancing back at Martha.

"The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow," the Doctor said quietly, lost in the memory.

"Can we go there?" Martha pleaded. The Doctor shook his head, snapping out of his daze.

"Nah. Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home. Instead, this is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth. Second hope of mankind. Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although technicaly, it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. One of the most dazzling cities ever built," the Doctor said.

The Doctor dashed away from everyone and threw open the TARDIS doors, Martha following him closely.

"I thought you said his planet doesn't exist anymore," James whispered quietly.

"I did. It doesn't," Freya whispered back, following him outside right into the rain.

"Get over here!" the Doctor shouted at them from underneath a cover. Freya pulled the TARDIS door shut and ran over to him, James following her closely.

"Well, it looks like the same old Earth to me, on a Wednesday afternoon," Martha complained.

"Hold on, hold on. Let's have a look," the Doctor said, turning to a monitor on the wall. He aimed his sonic screwdriver at it, causing a woman's face to pop up.

"And the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for New New Jersey expressway," the voice said as it showed a picture of flying cars.

"Just like last time," Freya nodded.

"Exactly like that last time. This must be the lower levels, down in the base of the tower. Some sort of under-city," the Doctor said.

"You've brought me to the slums?" Martha asked in disgust.

"Much more interesting. It's all cocktails and glitter up there. This is the real city," the Doctor said happily.

"You'd enjoy anything," Martha teased.

"That's me! Ah, the rain's stopped. Better and better," the Doctor said with a grin, stepping out from under the covering.

"When you say last time, do you mean you two?" Martha asked, gesturing in between the Doctor and Freya.

"Er, yeah. It was," the Doctor said. He sounded slightly uncomfortable at her words.

"You're taking me to the same planets you two have already been to?" Martha asked, sounding frustrated.

"What's wrong with that?" Freya wanted to know. Martha sounded genuinely upset. Freya wasn't sure what was going on with Martha, but she was getting worried.

"It sounds like a lot of inside jokes to leave Martha and I out of the loop," James supplied. The glare Martha shot him told Freya that that was not her reasoning. The Doctor opened his mouth but the moment he did, the stall they'd been standing in front of opened up.

"Oh! You should have said. How long have you been there? Happy! You want Happy!" the man said. Another few hatches opened at his words, revealing women all looking to sell something.

"Customers. Customers! We've got customers," the one shouted gleefully.

"We're in business. Mother, open up the Mellow, and the Read," another one shouted.

"Happy happy, lovely happy," the man urged.

"Anger. Buy some anger!" another shouted. Freya took a step back, feeling anxiety rise in her.

"Get some Mellow. Makes you feel all bendy and soft all day long," another one said.

"Don't go to them. They'll rip you off. Do you want some Happy?" the man urged.

"No thanks," the Doctor said coldly, stepping away from them and closer to Freya. He wrapped his arm protectively around her, eyes darting up and down the streets suspiciously.

"Are they selling drugs?" Martha wanted to know.

"I think they're selling moods," James said, shooting a worried look at Freya.

"Same thing, isn't it?" Martha asked jokingly.

"I didn't know New New York sold moods," Freya said shakily. The Doctor shook his head.

"They won't by the time I'm through with them. Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay," the Doctor swore.

"Why is it so upsetting?" Martha wanted to know. The Doctor didn't answer, merely kept his eyes on all the people who started entering the marketplace. His grip on Freya tightened to the point where Freya could hardly breathe.

"You don't need to know," the Doctor said brusquely.

"Doctor," Freya said, pulling away from him slightly. His grip only let up slightly. Freya turned to Martha and James.

"Last time we encountered these drugs, I was kidnapped and drugged and almost forced into prostitution. I don't know how these version are, but the version I was drugged with…it was deadly," Freya admitted.

"It couldn't have been that deadly if you're still here," Martha pointed out.

"That's because the only way to cure it was for someone to rape her," the Doctor said angrily, shooting a glare at Martha. Freya happened to glance at James to see his eyes fill with understanding.

"Oh. I'm so sorry," James breathed.

"What? Am I missing something?" Martha wanted to know.

"Martha, before this incident the Doctor and I were not together. We were not a couple, outside of being slightly engaged. We were forced into the next stage of our relationship much too soon," Freya tried explaining.

"And that's where the baby came from, before you two had made it very far in your relationship, or marriage. Because with all the running, the two of you wouldn't have tried for a baby so soon," James realized. Freya's eyes widened.

"Speaking of babies, Lil' Red's still asleep in the TARDIS. I haven't heard from her since I laid her down. What sort of rubbish mother am I?" Freya asked in horror.

"One that hasn't had a baby yet," the Doctor reminded her.

"Nevertheless. I have to go find her. I'll be right back," Freya told the Doctor.

"Wait! We'll come with you," the Doctor said.

"I'm just going into the TARDIS. Safe place, remember? It's okay. Go yell at the shop owners, intimidate them. I'm sure you'll be good at that," Freya teased, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back into the TARDIS.

It took her much longer than she expected to find Lil' Red's room. It was as if the TARDIS was purposefully taking her through twists and turns. When she finally came to the room, Lil' Red was on her way out of it.

"Oh! Mum. I didn't realize I was on this TARDIS," Lil' Red said.

"Yeah. We were on our way to a new adventure. Would you like to come, or do you need to be getting back?" Freya asked. Lil' Red's eyes widened.

"Oh, can I come along? I won't be in the way!" she begged.

"But you were just on an adventure with us," Freya said slowly before really looking at Lil' Red.

It wasn't the same Lil' Red.

This Lil' Red was younger, maybe two years younger? She looked to be about five. She spoke like she was much older though. Freya hadn't even noticed.

"Darling, how old are you?" Freya asked her.

"Four and half!" Lil' Red said proudly. Freya nodded.

"Right. Come along then," Freya said. Lil' Red giggled at her words and held up her arms expectantly. Freya hesitated before hoisting her onto her hip. She probably shouldn't be lifting things as heavy as Lil' Red, but Freya couldn't stand the thought of seeing disappointment on the four year old's face.

"How did you get on the TARDIS?" Freya wanted to know.

"I don't know. I woke up," Lil' Red said, rubbing her eyes. Freya and Lil' Red exited the TARDIS, only to be greeted by an empty street.

The Doctor'd wandered off. He couldn't have been that far off though. Freya doubted they'd been gone five minutes.

"Let's go find your Daddy," Freya said with a sigh.

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The Doctor's lungs burned as he coughed. Someone passed him a cup of something and he drained it instantly. Beside him, James's coughing seemed to die down as well.

"What were you two thinking, standing out there?" a voice asked him. The Doctor glanced up to see a cat man there. Ah.

"We were looking for our friend. She was taken," the Doctor said, his voice rasping slightly.

"Carjacked, most likely. Was she taken by two people?" the cat man asked.

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded.

"Doctor," James said quietly. The Doctor turned to him.

"Freya's still at the TARDIS. We need to get back to her," James said.

"We'd be happy to drop you off when we make it to the next stop," the cat man said.

"How long will that take?" the Doctor asked anxiously.

"Nine months?" the cat man guessed. The Doctor's eyes widened at that.

"We can't wait that long. She's pregnant. She'll have given birth by then. She needs us," James said vehemently.

"She NEEDS me," the Doctor growled at him.

"She needs someone to care for her and take care of her," James shot back.

"Which is me!" the Doctor retorted.

"Which is sometimes you. You're not reliable," James informed him.

"Still, we need to get back. Can't we just get back off at this exit?" the Doctor asked.

"We already passed it. We're stuck," the cat man said, although he looked apologetic upon hearing of Freya.

"We can call her. Tell her to stay in the TARDIS, maybe pilot it to come get us?" James asked.

"Freya doesn't know how to pilot the TARDIS," the Doctor pointed out.

"That sounds stupid. You've had her there for how many years, and you still haven't taught her to pilot it?" James asked scathingly.

"I don't need you telling me how to treat my wife!" the Doctor hissed at him.

"Someone ought to, or she may not be your wife for much longer," James threatened. James wilted after the words left his mouth. He pulled out his mobile from his pocket and sighed.

"No battery. Doesn't exactly help," James said, sinking to the ground.

"I can fix that," the Doctor said, his voice equally quiet. He took the phone and soniced it before handing it back to James.

"There. Now we can call her," the Doctor said. James handed the phone back to the Doctor.

"You call her. She is your wife," James said. The Doctor dialed her number quickly.

"_Hello?"_ Freya's voice filled the car. The Doctor let out a sigh of relief.

"Freya! Good. Look, we're in a bit of a pickle. We're stuck in a car on the motorway and it looks like we'll be stuck for nine months," the Doctor said quickly.

"_All three of you?" _Freya asked in disbelief.

"No. Martha was kidnapped. That's why we're here. We were trying to save her. Listen, just stay in the TARDIS, okay? I can maybe give you instructions on how to fly her," the Doctor said.

"_Is that my daddy?" _ a voice asked Freya. A voice sounding like Lil' Red.

But younger.

"_Yes sweetheart. I'm trying to figure a way to get him out of trouble." _Freya said. Her words were followed by a giggle.

"_We have a bit of a problem. We're no longer in the TARDIS. I'm a bit lost. We figured you'd wandered off, so we wandered after you. Not sure where we are at the moment. It's looking slightly less sketchy and more sophisticated though," _Freya said.

"Is it just me or does Lil' Red sound younger?" James asked the Doctor.

"_She is. A younger version of her woke up in the TARDIS._" Freya told them.

"So you're wandering around the streets where they have drugs with a five year old?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.

"_Four and a half!" _ Lil' Red's voice retorted.

"Freya, get back to the TARDIS," the Doctor ordered.

"_We will. We're going to grab some food first. I don't know the last time you got groceries was, but last time I checked the cabinets they were looking rather bare. And Lil' Red needs food," _Freya said.

"No, Freya!" the Doctor protested.

"_We'll be fine. We can take care of ourselves. We'll eat and find our way back to wherever we were. And I'll call you then so you can give me instructions as to how to come rescue you. If you're stuck there for nine months, what's an hour?" _Freya asked him before hanging up.

"She hung up on me," the Doctor said in disbelief, staring at the phone.

"That would be Donna's influence on her," James agreed.

"I'm not sure I like it," the Doctor admitted.

"Neither am I, but Donna's a force to be reckoned with."

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Freya wandered into a tiny restaurant with bar, hoping it was too early for people to actually be drinking. She couldn't tell the time, not at the moment. The rainy day interfered with whatever method there was to tell sunlight from moonlight.

Still, Freya wandered inside and sat at a small table. When the waiter asked her what she wanted, she asked if they accepted credit cards, holding up the psychic paper. The waiter smiled and nodded, allowing Freya to order food for both her and Lil' Red.

The food, thankfully, seemed to be similar if not identical to food on Earth. For that Freya was grateful. She wasn't sure how she'd find something Lil' Red would like if she had to choose between alien foods she'd never even heard of.

"So. You said you weren't expecting to wake up in our TARDIS," Freya said, smiling at Lil' Red.

"Nah. I wake up in Bad Wolf's TARDIS," Lil' Red said as the waiter placed the food in front of them. Freya filed that bit of knowledge away as she started in on her own food. They had nearly finished eating when someone pulled up an empty chair from their table and seated themselves in it.

"Hello, and who might you be….Freya?" Jack stopped, eyes wide.

"Jack?" Freya asked, feeling equally shocked.

"Were you trying to hit on me?" Freya asked immediately. Jack's eyes went wide and he shook his head, only causing Lil' Red to giggle.

"You were too!" Lil' Red accused with a grin.

"I don't believe we've been introduced. Captain Jack Harkness," Jack said, offering his hand to Lil' Red. Lil' Red giggled at him.

"Uncle Jack. I know who you are," she said with a giggle. She took his hand and kissed it, just as Freya had seen him do to so many women before.

"Uncle Jack I am," Jack said, staring at her.

"Jack, this is my daughter, Lil' Red," Freya said.

"Ah. You and the Doctor got busy," Jack said, eyebrows waggling. Freya stared at him for a moment, confused.

"Jack…where are we, in your timeline? When's the last time you saw us?" Freya had to know.

"You two left me behind on Satellite Five. I was able to make my vortex manipulator make one last trip, and I landed here, about five years ago. What about you?" Jack asked.

"It's been about a year since I saw that you. I've seen future you quite a bit. Something about you becoming best friends with my son," Freya teased him.

"Oh, that sounds like an adventure. Is he like his father?" Jack wanted to know.

"Bad Wolf, your friend, is a bit like the Doctor when you knew him. I get that Lil' Red's like the new version of him," Freya pointed out.

"Ah. Yeah. I heard legends of the Time Lords and their tricks. Now tell me, what are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"Bit of trouble. Why else?" Freya retorted.

"Of course. The Doctor couldn't stay out of trouble to save his life. What danger is lurking this time?" Jack asked.

"Not sure. He said he's trapped on the motorway for nine months unless I can get back to the TARDIS and get it to him. Aparently our newest companion was kidnapped," Freya said with a sigh.

"You two have a companion?" Jack asked.

"Two, actually. Martha Jones and James McCrimmon. The Doctor doesn't like James much though, but he doesn't have a choice," Freya said with a grin.

"I'm glad to see you sticking up for yourself. It's a welcoming change," Jack said earnestly.

"Jack, are you happy here?" Freya asked, the words leaving her mouth before she'd even registered what she was saying.

"I guess so," Jack said with a shrug.

"We could take you somewhere, somewhere you'd be happier," Freya said earnestly.

"Not with you guys?" Jack asked cheekily.

"I'm not sure that'd be a good idea. The Doctor's already so upset about having James aboard. I can't imagine how he'd act if both you and James were there," Freya said apologetically.

"What if James and I had something?" Jack asked, eyebrows waggling at Freya. Freya couldn't resist giggling at his words.

"Jack, James is from an alternate reality. He is the Doctor's double, the last Doctor, the one you knew," Freya said.

"Oh. Then I most certainly wouldn't mind having something with him," Jack said with an appreciative grin.

"Mommy, what does Uncle Jack mean?" Lil' Red asked, eyes wide.

"He means something he'll explain to you in full detail when you're older," Freya said, shooting Jack a warning look. Jack looked slightly stricken at her words.

"I don't want to give her that talk! Isn't that your job?" Jack asked, his voice coming out slightly higher than normal.

"It would have been my job, had you not opened your mouth," Freya said with a grin. Freya glanced outside to see it had started raining again.

"Nice. We're going to have to walk through the rain back to the TARDIS. I'm not even sure where the TARDIS is," Freya mumbled to herself.

"I do!" Lil' Red said excitedly.

"You remember how to get back to the TARDIS?" Freya asked Lil' Red. She nodded vehemently before pointing to Jack's wrist, where the Vortex Manipulator rested.

"Sorry kid. It doesn't work anymore," Jack said, but Lil' Red kept her hand out. Jack sighed and handed it to her. Lil' Red hit a few buttons and poked at an area of it before giving it back to Jack.

"It'll take us back to the TARDIS now," Lil' Red said happily. Jack shot Freya a look.

"I'm not sure," Freya answered his unspoken question. And she wasn't. She had no idea exactly how smart Lil' Red was. Obviously, the girl was smarter than a normal human, but that was what she was. Human. Freya wasn't sure.

"I'm right. Daddy says I'm brilliant," Lil' Red said.

"We can test it then," Jack said, taking Freya's hand. He held it over the device as Lil' Red placed her own hand under Freya's, in between Jack's hand and Freya's.

"Here goes nothing," Jack said before hitting the button.

It felt like every atom in Freya's being was ripped apart. And then a sudden collision with the ground. Freya groaned as she opened her eyes.

They weren't in the TARDIS. In fact, they were in a dusty room, and she was certain she spotted a skeleton over in the room adjacent to them. She needed to make sure Lil' Red did not see that.

"No offense, kid, but I don't think this is the TARDIS," Jack said. Lil' Red looked positively chagrinned as she sniffled.

"_But you are where you ought to be."_

Freya spun around to see the Face of Boe staring at her, an almost grin on his head. Jack and Lil' Red turned around as well.

"Who are you?" Lil' Red wanted to know.

"Lil' Red, this is the Face of Boe. Jack, meet the Face of Boe," Freya said.

"Funny. That's what they used to call me," Jack said, puffing up his chest slightly as he regarded the Face of Boe. Boe chuckled a bit at him.

"_Indeed they did, Captain,"_ the Face of Boe said.

"Is there a reason we were brought here, Boe?" Freya asked kindly.

"_I wanted to see you. The lot of you, one last time. The Doctor and your friends should be on their way here any minute,"_ the Face of Boe explained.

"How do they know to come here? I didn't know you were here," Freya said with a frown.

"_Do you remember Novice Hame? My nurse at the hospital?" _ the Face of Boe asked.

"Of course. She was part of the cat nuns trying to kill thousands of people," Freya said, her mind flitting back to Lady Cassandra and the suppression she'd went through. She shuddered at the thought, and she was certain she felt baby Bad Wolf shudder as well.

"_Novice Hame has stayed with me many years, assisting me as I grow older. She has gone after them," _ the Face of Boe explained. Freya nodded tersely. Lil' Red skipped over and sat herself down next to the Face of Boe.

"I like you. You're pretty, and familiar," Lil' Red said, tilting her head as she placed her hand on the glass. They could all hear his chuckling.

"Not to be disrespectful, but you're just a head. How exactly did you become just a head?" Jack asked, staring at him curiously.

"_I had an encounter with Headless Monks. Nasty fellows, they are,"_ the Face of Boe said.

"Well, I have to say, looking pretty good. For being just a head," Jack said with a wink. Again, their heads were filled with the chuckles of the Face of Boe.

"_Not long now before they get here. Why don't you two sit?" _the Face of Boe asked. Freya immediately sank down next to Lil' Red, wrapping an arm around her.

"Uncle Jack, you said they used to call you the Face of Boe?" Lil' Red asked, her brown eyes wide as she regarded the man she viewed as her uncle.

"Yeah. I was the first person to sign up under the Time Agency. I was even a poster boy," Jack said with a wink. Lil' Red turned her head up to Freya, a wide grin forming on her face.

"Mommy," Lil' Red began, tugging on her ear in a manner Freya had seen the Doctor do far too many times. Lil' Red leaned up and cupped her hands around Freya's ear.

"I think Jack becomes the Face of Boe," Lil' Red whispered before giggling.

"No….that couldn't….maybe?" Freya stopped, thinking about it. Her eyes widened at the conclusion.

"Nah," she said in disbelief.

"What?" Jack asked, staring suspiciously at them.

"Nothing," Freya said quickly. She glanced at the Face of Boe, who nodded slowly and joined in with her laughter.

"I still don't get it," Jack said, staring at them.

"And you wouldn't," Freya said with a grin as a crash was heard from the next room.

"Oh! Rough teleport! Ow. You can go straight back down there and teleport people out, starting with Martha," the Doctor's voice echoed into the room.

I only had the power for one trip," a voice responded.

"Then get some more! Where are we?" the Doctor demanded.

"High above, in the over-city," the voice said once more. Novice Hame, Freya realized.

"Good, because you can tell the Senate of New New York I'd like a word. They have got thousands of people trapped on the motorway. Millions!" the Doctor shouted angrily.

"But you're inside the Senate, right now. May the Goddess Santori bless them," Novice Hame said sadly. Freya's eyes widened at the words. The skeletons she'd seen…that was the Senate? Who was running the city?

"They died, Doctor. The city died," Novice Hame said. Freya glanced over at Lil' Red in alarm, but she wasn't paying a bit of attention. She seemed to be conversing with the Face of Boe. Boe caught her eyes and nodded slightly.

Jack gripped her arm, moving a bit closer.

"How long's it been like this?" the Doctor asked, his voice more subdued now.

"Twenty four years," Novice Hame responded.

"All of them? Everyone? What happened?" the Doctor asked.

"A new chemical, a new mood. They called it Bliss. Everyone tried it. They couldn't stop. A virus mutated inside the compound and became airborne. Everything perished. Even the virus, in the end. It killed the world in seven minutes flat. There was just enough time to close down the walkways and the flyovers, sealing off the undercity. Those people on the motorway aren't lost, Doctor. They were saved," Novice Hame said. Freya felt sick at the words and barely managed to make it to what appeared to be a trashcan before vomiting into it. Jack held back her hair as she did.

"So the whole thing down there is running on automatic. Is someone else here?" the Doctor asked.

"There's not enough power to get them out down there. We did all we could to stop the system from choking," Novice Hame said.

"Who's we?" the Doctor asked, his voice coming closer.

"He protected me. And he has waited for you, these long years," she said as they came closer.

"_Doctor_," Boe called out. The Doctor ran intot he room.

"The Face of Boe! And Freya? And Jack? And Lil' Red?" the Doctor said, looking quite lost at the group of them. James walked in slowly behind him, silent.

"_I knew you would come,"_ the Face of Boe murmured.

"Back in the old days, I was made his nurse as penance for my sin," Novice Hame said. James moved towards Freya as she managed to straighten up. Jack pulled out a few breath mints, handing them to her with a wink.

He was given a scowl by James.

"Old friend, what happened to you?" the Doctor asked Boe as he moved towards Freya.

"_Failing," _Boe said weakly.

"He protected me from the virus by shrouding me in his smoke. But with no one to maintain it, the City's power died. The under-city would have fallen into the sea," Novice Hame said.

"Captain Jack Harkness. And WHO might you be?" Jack asked James with a smile that left Lil' Red giggling.

"Jack! Not the time!" the Doctor barked, not even turning around.

"That the new Doctor? He hasn't changed," Jack said with a grumble. The Doctor faced Boe once more.

"So he saved them," the Doctor said, connecting right back into his other conversation with ease.

"The Face of Boe wired himself into the mainframe. He's giving his life force just to keep things running," Novice Hame said.

"Who's he?' James asked, staring at the Face of Boe.

"James, meet the Face of Boe. He's one of my oldest friends," Freya said earnestly, staring at the Face of Boe. He caught her eye and gave her a wink, one that elicited a watery laugh from Freya.

"No winking at my girl," Jack said, slinging his arm around Freya.

"Your girl?" James scoffed at him.

"Boys," Freya said.

"But there are planets out there. You could have called for help," the Doctor stated to Novice Hame.

"The last act of the Senate was to declare New Earth unsafe. The automatic quarantine lasts for one hundred years," Novice Hame said regretfully.

"And Boe can't last that long," Freya finished mournfully. She stepped away from both boys and knelt alongside Lil' Red, placing her own hand alongside her daughters on the glass.

"So the two of you stayed here, on your own for all these years," the Doctor said in awe.

"We had no choice," Novice Hame said.

"Yes, you did," the Doctor corrected her.

"_Save them, Doctor. Save them,"_ the Face of Boe begged. The Doctor dashed over to the computer, sonicking it and such as he dashed about. The Face of Boe closed his eyes, still breathing but slower.

"Car four six five diamond six! It still registers! That's Martha! I knew she was good. Novice Hame, hold that in place. Think, think, think, think, think! Take the residual energy, invert it, feed it through the electricity grid!" the Doctor spoke aloud.

"There isn't enough power," Novice Hame told him.

"Jack, go help him," Freya suggested, never taking her eyes off of Boe. Lil' Red's eyes widened as she stared at Boe, still having her own silent conversation with him.

"No," she breathed sadly.

"Oh, you've got power. You've got me. I'm brilliant with computers, just you watch. Hame, every switch on that bank up to maximum. I can't power up the city, but all the city needs is people," the Doctor said manically.

"So what are you going to do?" Novice Hame asked. The Doctor threw a big switch only for the power to go out.

"No, No, no, no, no, no, no!" the Doctor shouted angrily.

"The transformers are blocked. The signal can't get through," the Doctor said, running his hands anxiously though his hair.

"_Doctor_," Boe said.

"Yeah, hold on, not now," the Doctor said, not turning around.

"_I give you my last_," Boe said as he breathed out. The power to computer came back on and Freya gasped in horror.

"No. Don't. You can't," Freya whispered, pressing her other hand against the glass as well.

"Freya, look after him. Don't let him die. Don't you go dying on me, you big old face. You've got to see this. The open road. Ha!" the Doctor said excitedly.

He started talking on the monitor to someone else, but Freya stopped paying attention. All she could see was the minute cracks that were starting to appear in the glass of Boe's tank.

"_Move back, Freya. I don't want to hurt you and Lil' Red," _Boe's words echoed only in her mind.

"No. I won't leave," Freya said, her voice choking up with her tears. She had saved Jack. She had brought him back to life. She'd kept him alive. And somehow, despite all odds, here he was, still alive after all these years. This was her doing. She did, however, pry Lil' Red away and move the girl behind her.

"Doctor," Freya called as the crack grew. A second later, the glass shattered and the Face of Boe fell forward onto the ground. Freya scooted through the grass, wrapping her arms around Boe the best she could, cradling him.

"It's going to be okay," Freya murmured to him, stroking the side of his head. He was still breathing, his breaths labored.

"That feels….so good," the Face of Boe said slowly. Lil' Red moved closer, only for Jack to stop her. He shrugged off his jacket and then tugged off his shirt, handing her the shirt.

"Sit on that. So you don't cut yourself up," Jack told her with a small smile before shrugging his jacket back on. Lil' Red nodded and dropped the shirt next to Freya before sitting down, resting her own hands against his face.

"You don't have to die. Stay alive," Freya begged.

"Everyone dies," Boe told her gently.

"But not you," Lil' Red said, her own voice cracking. Tears obscured Freya's vision.

"Doctor?" a voice called out. Martha. Martha was there.

"Over here," the Doctor said, his voice oddly emotionless. Freya didn't even dare glance up. The Face of Boe was shaking slightly in her arms.

"I saved you once. I can do it again," Freya said, more to herself than anyone else.

"No. It is my time," the Face of Boe told her.

"Doctor! What happened out there?" Martha asked.

"What's that?" she asked. Freya glanced up to see her pointing at Boe.

"This is my friend, the Face of Boe. Not a thing," Freya bit out before pulling Boe to her once more.

"And this is Hame. She's a cat. Don't worry. He's the one that saved you, not me," the Doctor told her.

"My lord gave his life to save the city, and now he's dying," Novice Hame said mournfully.

"No, don't say that. Not old Boe. Plenty of life left," the Doctor said.

"You like that, don't you? Someone calling you a lord?" Freya managed to joke before another sob ripped itself from her throat.

"It's good to breathe the air once again," Boe said slowly.

"Who is he?" Martha asked.

"I don't even know. Legend says the Face of Boe has lived for billions of years. Isn't that right? And you're not about to give up now," the Doctor said.

"He has lived that long. So long," Freya murmured sadly.

"Everything has its time. You know that, old friend, better than most," Boe told the Docotr.

"The legend says more," Novice Hame implied.

"Don't. There's no need for that," the Doctor interrupted her.

"It says that the Face of Boe will speak his final secret to a traveler," Novice Hame said.

"Yeah, but not yet. Who needs secrets, eh?" the Doctor asked.

"I have seen so much. Perhaps too much. All thanks to you, Freya. I am the last of my kind, as you are the last of yours, Doctor," the Face of Boe said.

"That's why we have to survive. Both of us. Don't go," the Doctor begged, kneeling alongside Freya and Lil' Red.

"You can't go. Who's going to sing me silly songs?" Lil' Red asked as tears leaked from her eyes.

"I still will, Little One," the Face of boe told her gently.

"I must go though. But know this, Time Lord. You are not alone."

Boe breathed in and exhaled before his eyes sank shut.

Tears sprang into Freya's eyes as she let go of Boe, choosing instead to grip Lil' Red to her.

"Had you met him other than the times with me?" the Doctor asked Freya curiously. Freya couldn't even form words.

"You don't even know who he was," Freya managed to say before her throat closed with the sobs.

Freya wasn't sure how long she sobbed on the ground before arms pulled her to her feet. The Doctor. He sat her down in a chair, Lil' Red still clinging to her with her own tears, as the Doctor patched up Freya's bloody knees. Freya hadn't even felt the glass.

Once Freya was fixed up, the Doctor was lifting her once more. Lil' Red was passed to James, who carried the girl carefully. Martha and Jack followed closely behind.

As they left the room, Freya glanced over her shoulder just in time to see a woman appear, walking out of a closet and lay a small lily in front of the Face of Boe before giving him a kiss on the forehead and closing his eyes.

By the time they reached the area where the TARDIS was parked, Freya had managed to stop crying.

"We need to get Lil' Red back to her whoever is watching her," Freya said.

"I can take her," Jack said, reaching to take her from James.

"Are you sure? The Vortex Manipulator didn't work too well last time," Freya pointed out.

"But she got us where we needed to go. How about it, Lil' Bit? Wanna take a trip with Uncle Jack?" Jack asked her with a wink. Lil' Red sniffled, staring up at him.

"Can you sing to me?" she implored, staring up at him with wide brown eyes.

"I can do my best," Jack said, shooting Freya an uncomfortable look.

"He can sing for you," Freya promised before kissing her forehead. Lil' Red gripped Jack's Vortex Manipulator before reaching for the Doctor.

"Daddy," she murmured. The Doctor was at her side instantly.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" the Doctor asked her.

"Am I going to die too?" Lil' Red asked, tearstains on her cheeks. Freya's heart broke at her words. She moved to the Doctor's side, staring down at the heartbroken little girl.

"We all die in the end. It's how we are," the Doctor said.

"But Bad Wolf won't die. Why do I have to?" Lil' Red asked fearfully. The Doctor leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, sweetheart," the Doctor murmured as Jack hit the Vortex Manipulator and disappeared.

"All closed down," the Doctor said, eyes moist as he glanced about the area.

"Happy?" Martha joked.

"Happy Happy. New New York can start again. And they've got Novice Hame. Just what they city needs. Cats in charge. Come on, time we were off," the Doctor said.

"But what did he mean, the Face of Boe? You're not alone," Martha said.

"Nothing," Freya said quickly.

"I don't know," the Doctor corrected her.

"You've got me. And Freya and James. Is that what he meant?" Martha asked.

"I don't think so. Sorry," the Doctor said apologetically.

"Then what?" Martha asked.

"Doesn't matter. Back to the TARDIS, off we go," the Doctor said. Martha glared at him and pulled a rusty chair out, sitting herself down in it.

"All right, are you staying?" the Doctor asked her.

"Til you talk to me properly, yes. He said last of your kind. What does that mean?" Martha asked.

"Please, Martha, just drop it," Freya begged, but Martha ignored her.

"You don't really talk. You never say. Why not?" Martha persisted.

"I lied to you," the Doctor said softly. Martha stared at him. Freya moved closer, slipping her hand into his. He squeezed it tightly.

"I lied to you, because I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky. I'm not just a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else," the Doctor said miserably.

"Yes. There is. Bad Wolf is here," Freya pointed out.

"But he's not always around. And he's my son. There's a difference," the Doctor said bitterly.

"What happened?" James asked this time, his voice quiet. He knew that the Doctor's people were gone, but Freya had not gone into detail with him.

"There was a war. A Time War. The last Great Time War. My people fought a race called the Daleks, for the sake of all creation. And they lost. They lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now. My family, my friends, even that sky," the Doctor said mournfully. Freya roped her arm around his waist, pulling him closer before wrapping her other arm around him.

"Oh, you should have seen it, that old planet. The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire. When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a song," the Doctor said, lost in his memories.

**What did you think? Different, huh? I didn't want it to be like the original, and Freya is not able to run much at the moment. I will tell you, Bad Wolf's birth is coming! Get excited! But the sad part of that is Freya is not able to run, so it is harder for her to keep up until the birth happens. **

**Leave me a review! I got this out extra early for you guys, so I'd love some reviews and feedback. And to those of you who want sexy time with Freya and the Doctor, I'm sorry, but not at the moment. They aren't just gonna immediately get along here in that way at the moment. Yes, they obviously have another kid eventually, but that doesn't mean there are not ups and downs along the way. Just sit tight and hold on for the ride that is their relationship. Any guesses where the birth will happen? ;)**

**Andi**


	7. Daleks in Manhattan (Both Parts)

**Statement to reviews left by guest: Yes, Freya vomits like every chapter. She is pregnant. And some of the things they see in Doctor Who would set off even the strongest of stomach, let alone one who was pregnant. Also, Lil' Red is not Donna. Lil' Red is the Doctor and Freya's daughter. I thought I made that clear. Sorry if it wasn't. Anyway, here is the next chapter. **

Chapter 7: Daleks in Manhattan

Freya had only just woke up when the Doctor peeked his head in their room.

"New adventure. Up for it?" the Doctor asked with a wide grin.

"I don't know," Freya said honestly as she climbed out of bed. She was tired. But the Doctor's face fell with her words. Wherever they were, he was extremely excited about it.

"But you'll want to be here. I picked this place for you," the Doctor said before he could stop himself. His gob certainly did run. Freya smiled at him.

"If you're so certain I'll love it, I can make it. I'll get the TARDIS to pick me an outfit while I clean up," Freya said, making her way into the bathroom.

"Brilliant! Molto bene! Meet us in the console room!" the Doctor said, dashing up to her to give her a quick kiss before running out of the room.

When Freya climbed out of the shower, there was an outfit lying on the counter for her. An outfit that reminded her of the flapper outfits she used to see in schoolbooks, but a bit more modest. Freya's excitement built as she pulled the dress on.

Thankfully, the TARDIS seemed to realize that she couldn't wear a full flapper outfit, not with her large stomach. Freya wrapped the provided jacket around her before dashing into the Console room as fast as she could.

"You took your time," James grumbled.

"Oh hush," Freya said, beaming at the Doctor. He grinned back at her before throwing the TARDIS doors open, striding outside with a flourish of his long coat.

"Where are we?" Martha asked. Freya stepped out after her and James, staring around.

"Ah, smell that Altlantic breeze. Nice and cold. Lovely. Martha, have you met my friend?" the Doctor asked smugly. Martha turned around in time to see the Statue of Liberty behind them.

"You brought me to New York in the 20s," Freya said in disbelief, a grin appearing on her face.

"You did once say you always wished you could visit the 20s. I just wish I'd brought you before now," the Doctor said, pulling her to his side.

"Is that…oh my God. That's the Statue of Liberty," Martha said in disbelief.

"Ten out of ten for observation," James said, rolling his eyes. Martha smacked his shoulder.

"Oi! Watch it, you," Martha said.

"Gateway to the New World. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," the Doctor quoted happily.

"That's so brilliant! I've always wanted to go to New York. I mean the real New York, not the new new, new, new, new one," Martha said dismissively.

"Well, there's the genuine article, so good they named it twice. Mind you, it was New Amsterdam originally. Harder to say twice. No wonder it didn't catch on. New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam," the Doctor rambled as James walked over to a park bench, examining a newspaper.

"I wonder what year it is. Look, the Empire State Building's not even finished yet," Martha said.

"Work in progress. Oh. That means we might be later than I thought. Still got a couple floors to go, and if I know my history, that makes the date somewhere around," the Doctor was cut off by James.

"The first of November, 1930. Not exactly the roaring twenties," James said drily.

"How did you know that? Give that here," the Doctor said indignantly when he spotted the newspaper in James's hands.

"Eighty years ago. It's funny, because you see all those old newsreels all in black and white like it's so far away, but here we are. It's real. It's now. Come on then. Where do you want to go first?" Martha asked excitedly, latching onto the Doctor's arm. James set a worried look at Freya. Freya only frowned. It was reminding her of how the Alternate Freya had acted back in James's world.

Freya wasn't sure she was fond of that realization.

"I think our detour just got longer," the Doctor said, shifting his arm out from under Martha and out from around Freya to hold up the newspaper he'd swiped from James.

"Hooverville Mystery Deepens. What's Hooverville?" Martha asked.

"Come on," the Doctor said, pulling them along.

"Hooverville's sort of like the slums. It was in Central Park. It's where all the people who couldn't afford to live crashed at during the Depression," Freya explained to Martha.

"How do you know so much about American history?" Martha asked, her attention narrowing back down to Freya.

"I grew up in America. Spent the first ten years of my life here," Freya said.

"But your what, great-great-grandparents were in Scotland?" James asked, confused.

"Yeah. Their daughter, I believe, moved to America for a fresh start. Now I know why, after our fiasco at the Torchwood Manor," Freya said wryly, shooting a look at the distracted Doctor.

"So you're American?" Martha asked distastefully.

"I'm a bit of everything," Freya responded honestly.

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They arrived at Central Park and Martha's excitement had obviously faded as they watched the poor and homeless stumble by.

"Herbert Hoover, thirty-first president of the USA, came to power a year ago. Up till then New York was a boom town, the Roaring Twenties, and then," the Doctor gesture at the park.

"The Wall Street Crash, yeah. When was that, 1929?" Martha guessed. When the Doctor nodded, Martha shot Freya a superior look. Freya shot a puzzled look at James, who only rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. Whole economy wiped out overnight. Thousands of people unemployed. All of a sudden, the huddled masses doubled in number with nowhere to go. So they ended up here in Central Park," the Doctor explained.

"What, they actually live in the park? In the middle of the city?" Martha asked. Her question seemed to be answered as they entered the park. They were greeted with row after row of tents, cardboard boxes, and decaying cloth that seemed to serve as homes.

The sight was heartbreaking.

"I wonder if my great-grandmother's out here somewhere. I hope she's better off," Freya said sadly.

"If she wasn't too well off, she could have travelled home to Scotland. I'm sure she could live in Torchwood Manor if needed," the Doctor reassured her.

"Unless she didn't have enough money to make it back," Freya countered sadly.

"Ordinary people lost their jobs. Couldn't pay the rent and they lost everything. It's very likely she didn't have the money to get back," James said, looking smug that he had gotten to contribute to the history lesson of the day.

"Hey, if she didn't live in New York, then she could be better off," Martha said, offering Freya up a bit of hope. Freya wasn't sure what to think of Martha's words. One minute, Martha was fine and the next she was acting like she was better than Freya and like she was trying to win the Doctor's affections. Keeping up with it made Freya's head spin.

"There are places like this all over America," the Doctor said.

"And she did live in New York," Freya added.

"No one's helping them?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"No. You only come to Hooverville when there's nowhere else to go," the Doctor finished, his expression blank.

Freya watched as a fight broke out in front of them. It broke her heart, but there was nothing they could do. They watched as a man broke it by breaking the stolen bread in half. As the two men walked away with their halves of bread, the Doctor pulled everyone towards the man.

"I suppose that makes you the boss around here," the Doctor said.

"And, er, who might you be?" the man asked.

"He's the Doctor. I'm Martha," Martha said.

"And I'm James and this is the Doctor's wife, Freya," James added on, pointedly ignoring Martha's glare.

"A doctor. Huh. Well, we got stockbrokers, we got a lawyer, but you're the first doctor. Neighborhood gets classier by the day," the man said.

"How many people live here?" Martha asked.

"At any one time, hundreds. No place else to go. But I will say this about Hooverville. We are truly an equal society. Black, white, all the same. All starving. So you're welcome, the lot of you. But tell me. Doctor, you're a man of learning, right? Explain this to me. That there's going to be the tallest building in the world. How come they can do that, when we got people starving in the heart of Manhattan?" the man demanded.

The Doctor, James, and Martha all followed the man into a tent. Freya started to, but noticed a group of children staring sadly at each other, as if they had nothing better to do.

They didn't have anything better to do, Freya realized. They were all alone, and their parents were desperately trying to work and find a way to get food for them.

Freya made her way over to the children and carefully sat down alongside them.

"Hey. My name's Freya. What's your names?" Freya asked them.

"Mommy said we weren't supposed to talk to strangers," one girl said.

"Well, I just told you my name. I'm no longer a stranger," Freya told them with a grin.

"I'm Lizzie. This is Anna, Jack, and Brandon," the oldest of the girls pointed out.

"Why are you guys just sitting around? There's so much you could be doing," Freya pointed out.

"Like what?" Lizzie asked, bitterness creeping into her voice.

"Like writing in the dirt. Making up stories. Playing games," Freya suggested, her voice growing stronger with her words.

"We don't know how to write. Parents couldn't send us to school," Brandon said with a pout.

"Well, we can't have that. Here. I'll show you how to write," Freya told them, pulling a pencil out of her pocket. She leaned to the side, ignoring the discomfort it caused her. She scratched an A in the dirt.

"Do you guys know your alphabet?" Freya asked them. Lizzie nodded slowly but none of the others did.

"Good. We can start there."

Freya wasn't sure how long she sat there, scratching letters into the dirt along with the children. They made it through the alphabet though before Freya bit them goodbye. She stood carefully, looking around the Doctor.

She couldn't find them.

With a sigh, she stood and wandered about, looking for them. When she couldn't find them nearby, she ended up leaving Hooverville and wandering into the rest of the city. She managed to wander into some sort of nightclub, eyes widening when she saw the name of the main star of the night.

Tallulah.

That was the name of her great-grandmother. It had to be a coincidence. Still, Freya made her way towards the backstage areas, ducking out of sight. She made it to what looked like a dressing room, eyes widening as she ran right into a woman with blonde hair.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my dressing room?" the girl demanded.

"I'm sorry! I was looking for Tallulah," Freya apologized.

"You're looking at her," the blonde said. Freya's eyes widened even more.

"You wouldn't happen to be a MacLeish, would you?" Freya asked. Tallulah's eyes narrowed even more.

"Who told you that?" she demanded.

"No one. See, I'm a cousin. I heard that my cousin was also in the city and I went looking for you," Freya lied effortlessly.

"I didn't know I had any cousins," Tallulah said suspiciously.

"Neither did I!" Freya said. Tallulah gave her a smile finally.

"Well, does my cousin have a name?" Tallulah asked.

"I'm Freya. Sorry," Freya said, feeling embarrassed.

"Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I really can't afford to help you out. And I can't find you a job, not with you having a baby on the way," Tallulah said awkwardly.

"No! It's okay. I live with my husband. Actually, I've been looking for him. He wandered off," Freya drifted off.

"Don't they all? I had a boyfriend. I'm pretty sure someone took him. Because he wouldn't have just run off on me," Tallulah said. She sank into a chair and Freya followed suit.

"What's your boyfriend's name?" Freya asked curiously. The newspaper had said something about people going missing. What if it wasn't just the homeless?

"Laszlo. Oh, he's wonderful. And he wouldn't just skip out on me. He asked me to meet his parents. Men just don't run off after asking you to meet their parents," Tallulah complained.

And Freya knew that was the truth.

Because Laszlo was the name of her great-grandfather.

"I believe you," Freya told her.

"You do?" Tallulah asked, half suspicious and half hopeful.

"I heard a lot of people are going missing," Freya added.

"Ain't that the truth. But no one cares," Tallulah said sadly.

"My husband will. Once we find him, he'll find out what's happening," Freya said.

"How do you know he isn't with the others?" Tallulah asked.

"Because I know the Doctor. That's his name. The Doctor. He always finds his way into the middle of trouble and then back out again," Freya explained with a grin.

"Sounds like a man right there," Tallulah said, sharing a laugh with Freya. They were cut off by a yell in a room nearby.

"Stay here. I'll go see who it is," Tallulah said. She glanced around the room, picking up a gun.

"Wait! Why are you taking a gun?" Freya asked in alarm.

"It's not real. It's a prop. It's either this or the spear," Tallulah said, gesturing towards the spear in the other corner of the room.

"I'll hide that. Be careful," Freya warned. Tallulah grinned at her before heading out of the room. Tallulah made her way out of the room. A few minutes later, the Doctor walked in, hands up, followed by the man from Hooverville, Martha, James, and Tallulah, still holding the gun. Freya was on her feet instantly.

"Now, each of you against that wall. Away from my cousin here," Tallulah ordered, shutting the door.

"Tallulah, remember how I said my husband would find his way out of trouble? Meet the Doctor," Freya said, gesturing to the Doctor. He moved closer to Freya but Tallulah pointed the gun at him. He froze once more.

"How do you know? What if he's part of the people that kidnapped Laszlo?" Tallulah demanded.

"He isn't. Put the prop down," Freya said. The Doctor's hands dropped at the words.

"Prop?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah. Prop. Where did you lot go? Thanks for leaving me in Hooverville," Freya said sarcastically.

"We didn't want to take you into the sewers with us," James said.

"So no one thought to tell me where you were going? How did you end up here from the sewers?' Freya demanded.

"We were being chased by these crazy pig men," Martha said, crossing her arms.

"You said cousin?" the Doctor asked, turning to Tallulah in confusion.

"Yeah. COUSIN. Tallulah MacLeish," Freya said.

"Oh. No way," the Doctor breathed.

"There is a reason behind where we keep ending up, Doctor. And I'm fairly certain it has to do with me," Freya said.

"Full of yourself much?" Martha muttered. Freya did her best to ignore it.

"Hey! What have you got against my cousin?" Tallulah demanded, obviously not having it.

"Nothing," Martha said, but Tallulah just glared at her.

"Wait. Who's Laszlo?" the man asked.

"I'm Freya," Freya introduced herself to him.

"I know. The Doctor wouldn't shut up about you. I'm Solomon," he said with a smile.

"Laszlo's my boyfriend. Or was my boyfriend until he disappeared two weeks ago. No letter, no goodbye, no nothing. And I'm not stupid. I know some guys are just pigs but not my Laszlo. I mean, what kind of guy asks you to meet his mother before he vamooses?" Tallulah asked.

"He didn't," Freya promised.

"What do you think happened to Laszlo?" Martha asked, sitting down near Tallulah.

"I wish I knew. One minute he's here, the next, zip. Vanished," Tallulah said.

"Listen….ah, what was your name again?" the Doctor asked. Freya rolled her eyes. He ought to have known that.

"Tallulah. Three Ls and an H," Tallulah said.

"Right. We can try to find Laszlo, but he's not the only one. There are people disappearing every night," the Doctor said.

"I know. Freya told me," Tallulah said with a roll of her eyes.

"And there are these creatures. Such creatures," Solomon said.

"What does he mean by creatures?" Freya asked James.

"Look, listen. Just trust me. Everyone is in danger. I need to find out exactly what this is. Because then I'll know exactly what we're fighting," the Doctor said, holding up what looked like a rotting jellyfish.

"Yuck," Tallulah said, wrinkling up her nose.

"You got that right. Don't worry. We will find Laszlo. I promise," Freya told her earnestly.

"You can't promise her that," the Doctor whispered to Freya as they left the room.

"I can. Because Laszlo is my great grandfather. If we don't find him, I won't exist. So yeah. I can promise it," Freya shot back. The Doctor's eyebrows rose.

"Right. So number one priority is finding Laszlo as soon as we learn what we're up against," the Doctor said.

"I still can't believe you just left me," Freya said in disbelief.

"We really didn't want to take you down there. And Martha suggested you'd be happier up here," the Doctor said.

"Martha doesn't like me. I don't know why, but she doesn't like me," Freya said.

"Are you sure?" the Doctor asked, confused.

"Yeah. I'm sure. I don't understand it. Because she liked me just fine in the future," Freya said.

"Wibbly-wobbly," the Doctor said with a shrug.

"I'll stay with Tallulah while you build whatever it is that you're going to build. She probably has a show soon, and I doubt I'll get to spend time with my great-grandmother again," Freya pointed out.

"You never know. With me, you might," the Doctor pointed out.

"Go figure out what we're up against. And don't go leaving me behind again," Freya threatened him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said with a wink and a kiss on her cheek before making his way out of the room. James followed him out, but Martha stayed behind, remaining seated in the room.

"Laszlo used to wait for me after the show. Walk me home like I was a lady. He'd leave a flower for me on my dressing table. Every day, just a single rose bud," Tallulah said as she slipped out of her outfit and into her show outfit.

"Haven't you reported him missing?" Martha asked.

"With so many people missing, I doubt the authorities are going to do something about every bloke that goes missing," Freya said sadly.

"Yeah. He's just a stagehand. Who cares? The management certainly doesn't," Tallulah said with a sigh.

"Can't you kick up a fuss or something?" Martha asked.

"Okay, so then they fire me," Tallulah pointed out.

"But they'd listen to you. You're one of the stars," Martha said. Tallulah let out a self- deprecating laugh.

"Oh honey, I got one song in a back street revue and that's only because Heidi Chicane broke her ankle. Which had nothing to do with me whatever anybody says. I can't afford to make a fuss. If I don't make this month's rent, then before you know it, I'm in Hooverville," Tallulah said sadly.

"Okay, I get it," Martha said, obviously frustrated.

"It's the Depression, sweetie. Your heart might break, but the show goes on. Because if it stops, you starve. Every night I have to go out there, sing, dance, keep going, hoping he's going to come back," Tallulah said sadly.

"He will," Freya promised.

"You're lucky though. You got yourself a forward thinking guy with that hot potato in the sharp suit," Tallulah said with a wink to Freya.

"And you have a fantastic man too. Laszlo. We will find him. You just have to have hope," Freya reassured Tallulah.

"Hope. It's the only thing that's kept me going. Look. On my dressing table every day. Still," Tallulah said, holding up a single rosebud.

"That's got to be Laszlo," Freya said.

"But if he's still around, why is he being all secret like he doesn't want me to see him?" Tallulah begged for an answer.

"Come on," Tallulah said, standing up. She made her way out of the room, Martha and Freya following her.

"Girls, it's showtime!" Tallulah said loudly, drawing all of the girls' attention.

A couple of the girls were arguing and Tallulah quickly broke them up before glancing back at Martha and Freya.

"Come on, sweetie, honey. Take a look. Ever been on a stage before?" Tallulah asked. Martha shrugged.

"Oh, a little bit. You know, Shakespeare," Martha said. Freya shrugged.

"How dull is that? Come and see a real show," Tallulah bragged as she made her way on stage. Freya stood next to Martha, watching her great-grandmother as she started out her show.

"I wish I could sing like that," Freya said in awe.

"You can't be perfect at everything," Martha muttered.

"Why don't you like me? We got along just fine, before you met the Doctor," Freya said slowly, staring at Martha. Martha refused to look at her.

"Does this have to do with the Doctor?" Freya tried. Martha still didn't answer her. Freya quietly sighed before glancing at the stage.

"What's that?" Martha asked aloud. Freya glanced at the other side of the stage where Martha was glancing. There was a man back there, watching the stage. Martha slowly tried sneaking over there via the stage.

Freya wasn't about to attempt that. She made her way around the back of the stage, walking quickly. She made it to the other side just as Martha drew the stageman's attention. Tallulah screamed at the sight of him. Freya caught sight of him as he took off running. His face was like a pig.

Freya followed quickly, ignoring Martha's shouts behind them.

"Wait! I'm just trying to help you," Freya said as she entered the props room, where it looked like there was a vent to the sewers. It must have been how the Doctor got in earlier, and how the pig man made it in.

The pig man jumped down, making his way down the cellar. Freya started to follow when someone grabbed her from behind. Freya only managed to let out a little shriek before her mouth was covered.

The pig man carried her quickly down ladder and hurried with her through the sewer. Freya's feet brushed the ground painfully as he dragged her along.

The pig man only stopped when he reached an area where other people were. It pushed her in line with a ground of men. Freya stumbled into a young man who steadied her.

"Are you okay?" the man asked her anxiously.

"Fine. Just a bit unsettled," Freya said carefully. The pig man pushed both Freya and the man who had caught her.

"We're moving," the man said shakily.

"Where are they taking us?" Freya asked quietly as she managed to right herself and follow behind the man.

"I don't know. I'm Frank, by the way. You were with that man, the Doctor," the man said.

"Yeah. I'm Freya. He's my husband," Freya said quietly.

"Do you have any idea why they are keeping us here for?" Frank asked.

"I don't know. But I doubt it's anything good," Freya said. The pig men started to freak out, causing Frank to grab Freya's arm tightly.

"What're they doing? What's wrong? What's wrong?" Frank asked frantically.

And Freya's heart stopped.

In rolled a Dalek.

"Silence. Silence," the Dalek ordered. Freya stiffened at the sight of it, gripping onto Frank as tightly as he'd gripped her.

"You will form a line. Move. Move," the Dalek ordered. No one moved.

"Do what is says. Quickly," Freya said quietly, moving into a line with Frank. The Dalek head swiveled to Freya and stopped on her.

"The female is wise. Obey. Wait. Recognition. The female is familiar," the Dalek said, rolling closer to Freya. The others moved into a line, stepping away from Freya. Freya didn't even breath as the Dalek moved until it was less than a foot in front of her.

"Report," another Dalek said as it entered the room.

"These are strong specimens. They will help the Dalek cause. This one may pose a problem," the Dalek said, its eyestalk remaining firmly on Freya.

"Explain!" the Dalek shouted.

"She is an associate of the Doctor," the Dalek said.

"Take her to Dalek Sec," the Dalek ordered. The Dalek rolled closer to Freya, its plunger pressing against her.

"Turn and walk," the Dalek ordered. Freya turned slowly and walked as the Dalek pushed her along. As they walked out of the room, Freya's eyes caught sight of the Doctor in a corner, hiding. His eyes were wide in horror as he watched her. He looked like he was about to jump out, but James was holding on to his shoulder tightly, holding him back.

Freya was escorted into a lab where another Dalek was waiting.

"What is the meaning of this human?" the Dalek asked.

"This is the associate of the Doctor," the Dalek said.

"Correction. That is not the associate. That is the Mother," the Dalek said as a group of people were led in. Martha, James, and the Doctor followed Frank into the room, hiding slightly as they did.

"What does that mean?" Freya asked. They had said that before, calling her the Mother. They had not given her an answer then. She was hoping to get one now.

"The question is irrelevant," the Dalek said dismissively.

"The question is not irrelevant! I demand an answer," Freya shouted at them, gripping her hands together to try controlling the shaking of her fingers. The Daleks all stared at her, eyestalks unmoving.

"I have a right to know. And you will tell me," Freya said, trying to make her voice as menacing as possible.

"Your threat is empty. The Mother does no damage," one of the Daleks said.

"How do you know that? I've never been called the Mother before. How do you know that I act like that?" Freya asked angrily.

"Freya, maybe you should calm down," Frank said shakily.

"Tell her," a semi-Dalek voice ordered.

Freya glanced over to see a Dalek shell that was coming apart. Out of it came what looked like what was once a man but with a Dalek head. It sent a chill down her spine. None of the Daleks spoke. The new Dalek stepped forward.

"You are the mother of the Time Lords, the one who created more. You always show mercy. You were deemed worthy of a name," the new Dalek said.

Freya's mind whirled. She must have met them in the past, back before she really had. That meant that they thought there were more Time Lords already.

If they knew she was pregnant for the first time, they would not hesitate to kill her in her spot.

"Who are you? What is going on?" Freya asked.

"This is the final experiment. I am Dalek Sec, and these humans, the others, will become like me. Prepare them for hybridization. Search for the Doctor. He must be nearby. Leave the Mother with me," Dalek Sec ordered.

"Why do they have to become like you? I thought Daleks were to be pure," Freya said, fishing for answers.

"We are the Cult of Skaro, the last four of the Daleks. If our people are to survive, we must move forward," Dalek Sec said as music started to play.

"What is that sound?" Dalek Sec barked, glancing about.

"Ah, well, that would be me," the Doctor said with a grin, stepping out.

"Hello. Surprise. Boo. Guess it's not that big of a surprise. Hello," the Doctor said, waving to Freya.

"Doctor," Dalek Sec said.

"The enemy of the Daleks," one of the Daleks said.

"Exterminate!" another Dalek shouted.

"No! Wait!" Dalek Sec said as Freya surged forward, trying to step in between them.

"Well then. A new form of Dalek. Fascinating and very clever," the Doctor said, stepping forward.

"The Cult of Skaro escaped your slaughter," Dalek Sec said.

"How did you end up in 1930?" the Doctor asked.

"Emergency temporal shift," Dalek Sec said.

"Oh, that must have roasted up your power cells, huh? Time was, four Daleks could have conquered the world, but instead you're skulking away, hidden in the dark. Experimenting. All of which results in you," the Doctor said coldly.

"I am Dalek in human form," Dalek Sec said.

"What does it feel like? You can talk to me, Dalek Sec. It is Dalek Sec, isn't it? That's your name? You've got a name and a mind of your own. Tell me what you're thinking right now," the Doctor said.

"I feel humanity," Dalek Sec said.

"Good. That's good," the Doctor said. Dalek Sec's hand wrapped itself around Freya's arm.

"I feel everything we wanted from mankind, which is ambition, hatred, aggression, and war. Such a genius for war. And we have the Mother. With her, we can find a way to spread," the Dalek said. The Doctor's expression darkened.

"That is not what humanity means, and you will not touch her," the Doctor ordered coldly.

"I think it does. At heart, this species is so very Dalek. And if the Mother could be altered to bring back the Time Lords, why can't she be altered to bring back the Daleks?" Dalek Sec asked. The Doctor's expression was so dark it nearly scared Freya more than the Daleks surrounding her.

"All right, so what have you achieved then, with this Final Experiment, eh? Nothing! Because I can show you what you're missing with this thing. A simple little radio," the Doctor said, patting his radio.

"What is the purpose of this device?" one of the Daleks demanded.

"Well, exactly. It plays music. What's the point of that? Oh, with music, you can dance to it, sing with it, fall in love to it. Unless you're a Dalek, of course. Then it's all just noise," the Doctor said before aiming his sonic screwdriver at the radio. It emitted a shriek that caused Dalek Sec to release Freya and cover his own ears. The Daleks began to shriek at the sound, as did the pigmen.

"Run!" the Doctor said. He grabbed Freya's hand and pulled her along, the others running quickly behind them.

"Protect the hybrid!" the Daleks began shrieking as they made their way to the ladder leading out of the sewer.

"Come on! Move, move, move, move, move!" the Doctor shouted, ordering people along and to the ladder. The other prisoners quickly started climbing. Freya glanced back to see Tallulah standing there, looking lost.

"Come on, Tallulah! Run!" Freya begged.

"What's happened to Laszlo?" she asked pathetically.

"It's okay. Everything will be fine. But we have to get out of here now. He's safe with them. We are not," Freya said, grabbing Tallulah's hand and pushing her up the ladder. Freya finally followed them up.

They made their way back to Hooverville. The Doctor wrapped his jacket around Freya as night descended upon them. James was oddly quiet the entire time. Martha seemed to be shaken and sulking.

Solomon was waiting for them when they got there. Martha and the Doctor immediately followed him into the tent, but Freya grabbed James and held him back.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Freya asked him. James sighed and stared at her before glancing at the tent.

"We need to get in there," James pointed out.

"They're listening at the door. Trust me. Now, tell me, what's wrong?" Freya pressed.

"This whole thing. I don't think I was cut out for life in the TARDIS. I really wasn't cut out to see you and him together all the time," James admitted.

"But if you leave, then Martha will be the third wheel. I'd hate for her to feel like that," Freya said.

"I think Martha will be fine. I don't know. I haven't decided yet whether I'm ready to go home or not. It's been great, but this is crazy. And I'm not as young as you guys are," James said.

"You're not that much older, either," Freya pointed out.

"I'm almost forty," James stated.

"Almost. You've still got plenty of life," Freya said.

"They're coming! They're coming!" Someone shouted from the border of Hooverville. The tent was thrown open and the Doctor was there instantly, the others pouring out behind him.

"It's started!" the Doctor said grimly.

"We're under attack! Everyone to arms!" Solomon ordered as rifles were passed along. Some people ran away while others stayed to help. It was chaotic. Freya hated it. Pigmen started raiding the camp, grabbing people and dragging them away.

"We need to get out of the park!" Martha said.

"We can't. They're on all sides. They're driving everyone back towards us," the Doctor pointed out.

"We're trapped," Tallulah said bitterly.

"Then we stand together. Gather round! Everybody come to me! You there, Jethro, Harry, Seamus, stay together," Solomon ordered. Slowly, the ground seemed to form, the men on the outside with the women on the center. Even the Doctor gravitated in front of Freya.

"They can't take all of us," Solomon said. Everyone seemed to start shooting at once. Freya winced at each of the gunshots. She was starting to understand why the Doctor hated guns so much.

"If we can just hold them off till daylight," Martha said, glancing around.

"Martha…the pigmen are the least of our worries," Freya said, pointing upward at the Dalek that was making its way towards them.

"What in the world is that?" Solomon asked in horror.

"It's the devil! A devil in the sky! God save us all. It's damnation!" one of the men shouted in horror.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that," Frank said as he started trying to shoot at the Dalek.

The shots just bounced off.

"That's not going to work," the Doctor pointed out.

"There's more than one of them," Freya said in horror as another swooped in. They started firing at tents, at boxes.

"The humans will surrender," one of the Daleks shrieked. The Doctor took a step forward. Freya tried following him, but the Doctor gave her a light push behind him.

"Leave them alone! They've done nothing to you!" the Doctor shouted.

"We have located the Doctor," the Dalek said. Solomon stepped forward as well.

"No, Solomon, stay back," the Doctor said.

"I'm told that I'm addressing the Daleks. Is that right?" Solomon asked.

"From what I hear, you're outcasts too," Solomon started.

"Solomon, don't!" the Doctor shouted to him.

"They won't listen," James warned.

"This is my township. You will respect my authority. Just let me try," Solomon told them sternly.

"Daleks, ain't we all the same? Underneath, ain't we all kin? Right. See, I've just discovered this past day, God's universe is a thousand times the size I thought it was. And that scares me. Oh yeah, terrifies me right down to the bone. But surely it's got to give me hope. Hope that maybe together we can make a better tomorrow. So, I beg you now, if you have any compassion in your hearts then you'll meet with us and stop with fight. Well? What do you say?" Solomon asked as he dropped his gun to the ground.

"Exterminate!" the Dalek shouted before shooting him. Freya cried out at the sight, as did Martha.

"No! Solomon!" Frank cried.

"They killed him. They just shot him on the spot," Martha said bitterly. The Doctor's gaze turned stony as he took a few steps forward.

"Daleks. All right, so it's my turn! Then kill me! Kill me if it'll stop you attacking these people!" the Doctor shouted, pulling his jacket apart as if to bare his chest to them.

"I will be the destroyer of our greatest enemy," the Dalek said. Freya pulled away from James and Martha, gripping the Doctor tightly. The Doctor tried shoving her away from him but Freya refused to let go. The Dalek's weapon was aimed on them.

"The Mother will step aside," the Dalek said.

They weren't going to kill her. They didn't want to kill her. They wanted to use her for something else. They wanted her alive. Freya moved more in front of the Doctor.

"The Mother will move or she will be exterminated," the Dalek said, weapon not lowering.

"You want me to help you, right? To help bring about more Daleks? You can't do that if I'm dead, right? Spare them. Spare them all," Freya said, fighting to keep a quiver out of her voice. The Dalek paused, staring at her.

"You will follow," the Dalek said, weapon still trained on them.

"No! She won't follow you anywhere. I'll go, but she'll stay here," the Doctor said.

"The Mother is required. And….and so is the Doctor. Both of you will follow," the Dalek said, pausing as if listening to someone.

"No! You can't go," James said, stepping forward.

"We have to," Freya said.

"What about us?" Martha asked, her eyes wide in terror.

"You will not harm a single one of them. You will spare every one of their lives if we go with you! Do you hear me?" the Doctor shouted at the Daleks.

"Humans will be spared. Doctor, Mother, follow," the Dalek said.

"Martha, stay here. You and James can help the people," the Doctor said before reaching into his pocket. He then grabbed Martha's hand, as if shaking her hand.

"Oh, and can I just say, thank you very much,  
he said with a wink before grabbing Freya's arm and tightly pulling her along after the Doctor.

"Why did you do that?" the Doctor demanded, his voice a low murmur.

"I couldn't let you get killed," Freya said.

"How did you know they wouldn't kill you? You couldn't have known," the Doctor hissed back.

"They kept mentioning me. Like they needed me for something. They thought they could use me to bring back the Daleks. So they'd try keeping me alive," Freya said.

"You couldn't have possibly known that," the Doctor scoffed.

"I wanted you safe," Freya informed him. They were led away and after awhile, entered what looked like a laboratory. The Doctor flew forward upon entering, striding towards Dalek Sec.

"Those people were defenseless! You only wanted me, but no, that wasn't enough for you. You had to start killing, because that's the only thing a Dalek's good for!" the Doctor shouted angrily.

"The deaths were wrong," Dalek Sec said.

"I'm sorry?" the Doctor stalled, backtracking.

"That man, their leader, Solomon, he showed courage," Dalek Sec said.

"And that's good?" Freya asked, moving closer.

"That's excellent," Dalek Sec corrected.

"Is it just me or are you becoming a bit more human?" the Doctor asked.

"You do seem to feel more humanity," Freya added.

"You were once the last of your kind, and I am now the first of my kind," Dalek Sec said.

"What do you want us for?" Freya asked.

"We tried everything to survive when we found ourselves stranded in this ignorant age. First we tried growing new Dalek embryos, but their flesh was too weak," Dalek Sec said.

"Yeah. I found one of your experiments. Just left to die out there in the dark," the Doctor spat.

"It forced us to conclude what is the greatest resource of this planet. Its people," Dalek Sec explained. Freya felt sick. Dalek Sec threw a breaker switch and the lab was flooded with light. Hundreds of stretchers littered the air. One of them was lowered and the cover was pulled back, revealing a human. Freya felt her nausea rise.

"We stole them. We stole human beings for our purpose. This is the true extent of the Final Experiment," Dalek Sec said proudly.

"Is he dead?" the Doctor asked.

"Near death, with his mind wiped, ready to be filled with new ideas," Dalek Sec said.

"You poor thing," Freya said, stroking the man's face.

"All of these people. How many?" the Doctor asked angriliy.

"We have caverns beyond this storing more than a thousand," Dalek Sec said.

"Is there any way to restore them? Make them human again?" the Doctor wondered.

"Everything they were has been lost," Dalek Sec said dismissively.

"So they're like shells. You've got empty human beings ready to be converted. That's going to take a hell of a lot of power. This planet hasn't even split the atom yet. How're you going to do it?" the Doctor asked.

"Open the conductor plan," Dalek Sec ordered.

Freya moved away from them as they examined it, staring still at the empty man.

"The Mother will move to the Doctor's side," the Dalek ordered her.

"Why do you call me the Mother? You said I bring the Time Lords back, and that I care a lot, but why give me a Time Lord name? I'm not a Time Lord. I don't become a Time Lord. I'm human. I don't deserve a Time Lord name," Freya pointed out. The Dalek's eyestalk focused intently on her.

It didn't say anything.

"Fine. Why do you want me here?" Freya tried a different approach.

"You can bring back the Daleks like you brought back the Time Lords," the Dalek said.

Freya wasn't about to let them know she had yet to actually give birth to a Time Lord. She doubted that would go over too well.

"I'd love to help. Really, I would. But I think reviving one species at a time is my limit," Freya said, taking a half step back. She glanced over at the Doctor to see him throwing a switch excitedly, liquid pouring through tubes and into the empty humans.

Freya hurried to the Doctor's side as a weird noise began to ring.

"What's that?" the Doctor asked in alarm.

"What's happening? Is there a malfunction? Answer me!" Dalek Sec roared.

"No, no, no. The gene feed! They're overriding the gene feed!" the Doctor shouted.

"Impossible. They cannot disobey orders," Dalek Sec said.

"The Doctor will step away from the controls," one of the Daleks said.

"Stop! You will not fire!" Dalek Sec said, stepping in front of them.

"I can't fix Laszlo. Are you sure he's your great-grandfather?" the Doctor murmured to Freya as he eyes stayed on the Daleks.

"He is an enemy of the Daleks," one of the Daleks said.

"And so are you," another Dalek said. The Daleks then pointed their guns at Dalek Sec.

"Yes. He's my great-grandfather. I'm sure of it," Freya responded.

"I am your commander. I am Dalek Sec!" Dalek Sec protested.

"You have lost your authority," a Dalek said.

"You are no longer a Dalek," the other Dalek said.

"What have you done with the gene feed?" the Doctor interrupted.

"The new bodies will be one hundred percent Dalek," the Dalek said.

"Besides the fact that they are in bodies of which are one hundred percent human," Freya pointed out.

"No! You can't do this!" Dalek Sec roared in frustration.

"Pig slaves, restrain Dalek Sec and the Doctor. Dalek Thay, take the Mother to Dalek Caan," the Dalek said.

Freya noticed that Laszlo was the pig slave to grab the Doctor. His eyes were glued to Freya as one of the Dalek's prodded her forward.

"I'll be fine. Stop them!" Freya shouted. In that second, the Doctor and Laszlo took off running. Dalek Thay pushed Freya along into a room a ways from them before exiting, leaving her in the room.

Alone with the Dalek she presumed was now in charge.

"What do you want with me? I cannot help you revive a species at the moment. It takes a bit of time," Freya pointed out. She hoped the Doctor would fix things. She didn't know how she felt about this situation.

"We need to know how the Doctor managed to create you. To form you to be able to revive his species. How would we go about doing that?" Dalek Caan asked.

"You want to know? He went back a few generations and altered my family line. Without time travel, it would take you about four generations to create Daleks," Freya said.

She didn't know if that was the truth, but something was going on here. Something with Laszlo. The Doctor would fix him. And that, Freya was certain, was when the changes were going to begin in her family line.

"We could just use you," Dalek Caan said.

"I am only compatible for Time Lords. Two hearts and such. Can't help other species. Sorry," Freya said. Dalek Caan rolled closer to her. Freya stiffened the closer he got to her.

"Our reports say that you care about everyone. Do you not care about the Daleks?" Dalek Caan asked her. Freya started to say that no, she didn't, but stopped.

She had cared about the poor Dalek back in that underground museum in Utah. She really and truly had cared. It wasn't that she hated Daleks as a whole. She hated what they did.

"I do not care for what the Daleks are trying to do," Freya said honestly.

"How do the Daleks know about me?" Freya asked.

"Before we entered the Void Ship, we were sitting in on a Dalek Counsel. The goal was to blow up a Prison Planet of reject Daleks. We captured the Doctor, you, and your companions for the job. You came out and immediately hugged the puppet Dalek. You even touched another of us without fear," the Dalek said.

"That hasn't happened for me yet," Freya said.

"Then you must stay alive so you can have your name," Dalek Caan stated.

"Yes. I must. So I am called the Mother because I care about everything? Do you Daleks want to be cared about?" Freya asked. Dalek Caan's eyestalk focused in on her intently as he rolled closer.

He didn't say a word.

He did. Freya didn't know how she could tell, but she just…sensed it. Somewhere inside of her, she felt it. Dalek Caan wanted to be cared about. Despite having no emotions, Freya was certain that deep down, Dalek Caan had longing.

Freya slowly raised her hand and placed it on the Dalek's head. Her hand rested there even as the Dalek's eyestalk moved about for a second, startled.

"What are you doing?" the Dalek asked her.

"I'm touching you. It offers comfort," Freya tried explaining.

"Daleks feel no comfort," Dalek Caan stated.

"Everyone feels comfort every once in awhile. All it takes is someone brave enough to offer it," Freya explained.

"And are you brave?" Dalek Caan asked.

"I'd like to think I was," Freya said softly.

And then a surge of electricity shocked her, knocking her to the ground and into unconsciousness.

When she came to, she felt worse than she had when she fell. Someone was hitting her face, causing her eyes to open. The Doctor was cradling her.

"What happened?" Freya asked.

"Dalek Caan got away. He shifted out of here. The other Daleks are all dead," the Doctor said. Freya started to stand, only to catch sight of Laszlo.

And see him collapse.

Freya fell to her knees just as he did.

"Doctor! Doctor! He's sick!" Martha called out.

"So's Freya, and right now she's more important," the Doctor shot back.

"No. Doctor. I'm not. That's…that's the problem," Freya said, eyes widening.

"What's the problem? What is it? Is Laszlo going to be okay?" Tallulah asked.

"It's time, sweetheart," Laszlo said.

"Doctor, go save him. Save him, or I die too," Freya said. The Doctor's grip on her tightened before loosening. He stood and quickly made his way over to one of the tables covered in chemicals.

"Martha, Tallulah, get Laszlo on that table. James, move Freya next to him. Laszlo, just you hold on. There's been way too many deaths today, and I'm not about to lose my wife now," the Doctor said.

"What does he mean, lose you?" Laszlo asked, his words coming out in between pants as Freya was helped to the table next to his.

"We're from another time. And I'm related…to you," Freya said awkwardly. Her own hearts were racing.

"What do you mean?" Tallulah asked.

"She means that she's your great-granddaughter," James said bluntly.

"Good job," Martha muttered to James.

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He did it. The Doctor fixed Laszlo. He ended up opening him up and doing a bit of operating, but he did it. And he confirmed that he did in fact alter Laszlo in ways that would end up turning into genetic within the next generation. One mystery solved. They made their way back to Hooverville, where Frank managed to get Laszlo a home there despite his piggish features.

Freya managed to explain the basics of her existence to the two of them before giving each of them a hug and wishing them the best of luck.

The four of them made their way back to the TARDIS in silence until they'd made it to the box.

"Do you reckon it's gonna work between the two of them?" Martha asked.

"I don't know. Anywhere else in the universe, I might worry about them, but New York? That's what the city's good at. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and maybe the odd pig slave Dalek mutant hybrid too," the Doctor said.

"It works. I'm proof of it," Freya said.

"Your nose does sort of look like a pig's nose," James said teasingly before tweaking her nose.

"It does not!" Freya protested with a laugh.

"It sort of does," Martha added, only she didn't seem as good-humored as James had been.

"The pig and the showgirl. Great genealogy," the Doctor said with a laugh

"It just proves it, I suppose. There's someone for everyone," Martha said contently, staring at the Doctor.

"I wouldn't go that far," James said sadly.

"I'm sorry," Martha said, ignoring James.

"What for?" the Doctor asked.

"Just because that Dalek got away. I know what that means to you. Think you'll ever see it again?" Martha asked.

"Oh yes. One day."

**Okay, so if you didn't notice, I added both the Eleventh and Twelve Doctors to this as main characters. While I do not know for sure how long this section will go, I can say you will get to meet both of them, and relatively soon. So soon, in fact, that you might say it it next chapter. ;) ;) With that being said, I will let you know that there will not be spoilers for series 8! Don't worry! I was careful to try to avoid spoilers, knowing that some people may not have seen the eighth series yet. But he is there. **

**On that note, the next chapter is an original chapter. It will replace a few episodes that I did not see the point in including in this fanfiction. Also, Bad Wolf is coming soon! Be prepared! I hope this chapter cleared up a few points. No one ever really mentioned these points, although I assumed I'd be getting questions about them earlier.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Drop me a review with your thoughts or questions and I'll do my best to answer them! You're going to love chapter 8!**

**Andi**


	8. Doctor Tug-A-War

**WARNING: Contains 12th Doctor but no real spoilers, unless you live under a rock and don't know what he looks like. So if you haven't seen Series 8, you ARE still okay to read it. I was careful about that, but I wanted to give you a heads up so you don't worry, if you haven't read it. Carry on.**

Chapter 8: Doctor's Tug-a-War

Freya was in the library when the Doctor found her. He looked conflicted as he plopped himself down next to her.

"I'm taking Martha and James home," the Doctor said.

"Why?" Freya asked, sitting up quickly.

"I was only taking them on one trip. And that didn't work. And…well, I think they're straining our relationship," the Doctor said.

"I guess," Freya said slowly.

"But it's nice. You know. Having other people on board with us," Freya added carefully.

"I thought you didn't like Martha," the Doctor said, confused.

"I…I don't know. I don't think she likes me. There's a difference," Freya admitted.

"Well, I already told James. He suggested me dropping you off at the Torchwood Manor while I dropped off James and Martha. He figured you'd have some mail and such to go through," the Doctor said with a frown.

"I might. How long will I have been away?" Freya asked.

"About two weeks," the Doctor said, tugging on his ear.

"Yeah. I ought to go back and make sure everything's good. You can leave me for an hour and pick me up after dropping them off?" Freya asked for clarification.

"Of course I can!" the Doctor said automatically.

"Okay, Mr. Of Course I Can, let's go then. Allons-y," Freya said with a laugh. The Doctor laughed right back alongside her before pulling her to her feet. Freya followed him into the Console Room.

"Where are Martha and James?" Freya asked.

"James is packing. I haven't told Martha yet. I think she's in the kitchen," the Doctor said. He flitted around the console and Freya gripped the railing tightly as she landed.

"There," the Doctor said. Freya moved towards the door, checking outside. It looked like the right time.

"See you in an hour?" Freya asked. The Doctor nodded.

"Not a minute later," he swore. Freya nodded and headed out of the TARDIS.

The TARDIS disappeared behind her. Freya made her way to the front door, digging around in her pocket for her keys. At least, she hoped her keys were in this jacket. She'd taken to wearing her jacket all the time, and had kept most of her things in the bigger-on-the-inside pockets. She finally managed to procure her keys, unlocking the door.

When she entered, she was greeted by a gloomy atmosphere. On the table was a pile of mail with a note from Marie, demanding Freya to call her as soon as she returned. Freya took her phone out and plugged it in upon realizing that it was dead. Typical. As it charged, Freya opened the mail.

She decided to start dusting as well after resting her hand on a counter and having it come back grey. She flitted from room to room, moving as quickly as she could. It'd be nice to get a good deal of the dust out before the Doctor arrived. Maybe she could have Marie come and open the house up every month or so, so she wouldn't have to deal with all the dust.

Freya was in the middle of her thoughts when she entered the library.

And saw a man sitting in one of the chairs.

Freya dropped her dusting rag and spray, stepping back automatically. The sound caused the man to look up at her before standing up calmly.

"How did you get in here?" Freya asked shakily.

"I walked in," the man said, rolling his eyes as he did.

"Who are you?" Freya asked, staring at him, watching for any sudden movements. He looked like he was in his fifties. Freya had never seen him before in her life.

The man stiffened at her words. His shoulders dropped and he sighed.

"Ah," he said, turning. Something in Freya broke at the desolate nature the man exhibited.

"Wait! I seem to do a lot of things in the wrong order. You've got to be here for a reason. People don't just wait expectantly in other people's libraries for no reason," Freya reasoned.

"I do sometimes," the man contradicted.

"So are you telling me there is no reason you're here?" Freya demanded. The man didn't respond.

"Sit back down. No. Not there. On the couch," Freya corrected him. The man carefully made his way to the couch and sat down. Freya made her way over and sat down next to him. He watched her carefully.

"How far along are you?" the man asked her. Freya could detect a Scottish accent from him.

"I don't know how to answer that. Quite a ways, I'd wager. A year and a half? Two years? It's a bit confusing," Freya admitted.

"Ah," the man said simply.

"It's my first child. Bad Wolf," Freya added when the man didn't say anything. She reached out and took his hand when he didn't acknowledge her.

"You know, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," she reasoned. The man looked up at her, really stared at her for a moment. His eyes looked so old. They reminded Freya of the Doctor, before he'd regenerated….

Freya leaned closer, tentatively touching the man's face. The man closed his eyes and leaned into her touch subconsciously.

"Doctor?" Freya asked hesitantly. The man's eyes snapped open instantly at her words and relief flooded into his ageless eyes.

"Yeah. It's me. I'm old," the Doctor said humorlessly.

"Of course you're old. You're in your 900s. And if that's how you look at 900, I'd say you're looking pretty good," Freya pointed out.

"2000," the Doctor said quietly.

"What?" Freya asked.

"I'm over 2000 now," he supplied.

"2000 years of travelling. Eleven hundred years since you began travelling with me. I'm surprised you even remember me," Freya said quietly.

"I'd never forget you," the Doctor told her automatically.

"That statement means more coming from your mouth than it does your younger self," Freya said with a smile. The man gave her a tentative smile back.

"Now are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Freya asked.

"You said you're having your first child. So I'm in my tenth regeneration, right? Brown hair, brown eyes, long coat?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah," Freya said, filing away the information. Ten. She liked that way of keeping track of it.

"I'm the twelfth regeneration. Bettered not tell younger me that though. Never thought I'd have twelve of me. I haven't had this body long. I'm not sure I like it," the Doctor said.

"Sounds a bit early to be making decisions like that," Freya pointed out.

"But I'm so old," the Doctor complained. Freya reached up and grabbed his face, holding it so he was staring directly at her.

"Age doesn't matter. Appearance doesn't matter. You're still the Doctor, deep inside. I know you are, and I suspect you do as well," Freya told him.

"Of course I'm the Doctor. You knew it was me," the Doctor mumbled.

"Was that why you came? To see if I knew you, if I could prove to you that you were indeed the Doctor?" Freya asked. The Doctor was silent at her words. After a moment, he stood.

"You look exhausted. You need to sleep," he told her.

"You don't have to leave," Freya pointed out.

"But you need to rest," the Doctor said.

"I seem to recall you saying you wanted to spend every moment of my life with you. I'm dead by your time. I know I have to be. You can spend the night," Freya pointed out. The Doctor hesitated but finally held out his hand to her. Freya allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her to her bedroom. He even tucked her into the bed before sitting tentatively down beside her.

"You can lay down to, you know," Freya mumbled, already feeling half asleep. Just before she drifted into unconsciousness, she felt the Doctor lay down and tentatively wrap his arms around her.

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When she woke up, she was surprised to find herself face to face with someone she didn't recognize for a second. In the time it took for disappointment to settle in his eyes, recognition filled hers.

He started pulling back, only for Freya to cling to him.

"Morning," she whispered.

"Mornin'," he mumbled. Freya's eyes caught sight of a clock on the walls and she frowned.

"The Doctor said he'd be here for me in an hour. My current Doctor, that is. He's a bit late," Freya said with a frown.

"And if I remember correctly, I'll be frantic when I realize I got the time wrong. Imagine how I'd react if I knew you were off with older me," the Doctor said with a quiet chuckle.

"Now, we don't want to elicit jealousy from your past self. That wouldn't be nice," Freya admonished him.

"But it'd be fun," the Doctor said with a grin. Freya couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Yeah. It would be fun. But you don't have to live with him," Freya pointed out.

"Neither do you," the Doctor said.

"Of course I do," Freya said, his words puzzling her.

"But you really don't. You don't have to travel with him. You can still see me. You can stay here. We'll always be here with you. Visiting you," the Doctor said.

"But I don't want to live my life like that. I don't want to be some rare wine you sample whenever you find yourself dying of thirst. I want to be there for you for all the moments in between," Freya argued.

"But you're not," the Doctor said quietly. His eyes drifted away from hers. Freya's heart broke at the sight. She tilted his head towards hers. He looked so utterly alone, so devastating hollow. He looked how Freya felt when she first met him.

She knew her Doctor wouldn't be happy if he knew, but Freya couldn't stop herself as she leaned up and kissed the Doctor. He seemed surprised but welcomed it, kissing her back earnestly before pulling back suddenly. His eyes were wide as he stared at her.

"Do you want to see the new TARDIS?" the Doctor asked her.

"New? She looks different?" Freya asked, surprised. The Doctor's lips formed a grin as he pulled her quickly after him.

She was pulled out of the house before she could change her clothes or even grab her cell phone, which was lighting up on the kitchen table.

The Doctor pulled her towards the TARDIS, which looked the same to her except maybe a bit bluer. The Doctor pushed the doors open and gave her a light shove inside.

Freya froze the moment she entered the TARDIS. It was nothing like the TARDIS she had been in. The Doctor moved towards the console as Freya stared in shock. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. There were so many swirling designs, Gallifreyan on the top, a wonderful set of two chairs, a few small bookshelves, a chalkboard…it was amazing. Freya glanced back at the Doctor who was fiddling with something on the console before looking back up.

"So. What do you think?" he asked her, holding his arms out wide as he admired his own ship.

"She's wonderful. Different, but oh so wonderful," Freya breathed.

"I'm still not sure I like it," the Doctor grumbled slightly. Freya moved towards him and shook her head.

"I'm not sure you like much of anything in this new body of yours," Freya teased him. She was rewarded with a smile from him.

Which was when she noticed the thing in the center of the TARDIS moving up and down silently.

Freya didn't know much of anything about the new console room, but if she had to guess, she'd wager that meant they were taking off.

"Doctor…we're taking off," Freya said, glancing back at him with wide eyes.

He didn't look too surprised or worried. Freya made her way to the door quickly, throwing it open.

They weren't in Scotland anymore.

"Where are we?" Freya asked, turning to face him.

"Somewhere else. I thought we could spend some time together," the Doctor said.

"I was only supposed to be away from my current Doctor for an hour," Freya said uncertainly.

"How will he know how long you're gone?" the Doctor scoffed.

"He will when he becomes you. And how does that make you feel?" Freya wanted to know. She could see a slight stiffening of his jaw as he turned back to face the console.

"It doesn't matter," the Doctor said.

"Doctor, you're starting to worry me," Freya said carefully, staring at him.

"I don't want you to leave," the Doctor said suddenly, spinning around.

"What?" Freya asked.

"I want you with me. I don't want to be alone. I want you here," the Doctor said immediately.

"But Doctor, I am going to be with you. Younger you. If I'm with you now, I can't be with younger you. I can't be in two places at once," Freya said with a smile. The Doctor wasn't smiling though.

"Doctor, I think you need to take me back," Freya said, keeping her voice as strong as she could.

"Why? So you can go off with the Doctor in the TARDIS? You're on the TARDIS, and I'm the Doctor. Your room's here somewhere," the Doctor said.

"Doctor. I'm dead now. In your time. I'm dead and gone. I know that's got to hurt. But you can't just take me from my timestream. That can't be good. It'll change your past," Freya tried reasoning.

"You don't have to be dead," the Doctor said.

"Yes. I do. Because Doctor, everyone has their time. And everyone dies," Freya reminded him. He winced at her words.

"Not you. You shouldn't," the Doctor said.

"What about our daughter? The daughter I haven't even given birth to. She dies. She dies much too soon, much too young. I don't want her to die. And I'm sure you didn't either. But you can't go and kidnap her. She has to die at a certain time. And so do I. I have a limited time. I can't just wander with you for the next ten years," Freya tried reasoning.

"Of course you can," the Doctor corrected. Freya put her hands over his.

"No. I can't. I have to give birth sometime relatively soon. And Martha delivers the baby. I have to be around Martha," Freya said.

"I can take you to Martha," the Doctor said.

"Yes. But I don't think that's how it's supposed to work. Please. Doctor," Freya begged. The Doctor's jaw stiffened.

"No. I don't know anything about myself. I don't know who I am, what I'm capable of, but I do know one thing. I want you with me," the Doctor said. Freya felt the baby kicking inside and she rested a hand on her stomach. She closed her eyes, trying to make her way to the baby.

He wanted to help. He had something to help. At least, that's the feeling Freya got from him.

"Freya? Is everything alright? Is it the baby?" the Doctor asked her anxiously. Freya opened her eyes carefully, lifting her hands to the Doctor's head. She rested her forehead against his and pressed both hands against his temple. He closed his eyes and welcomed her.

"Sleep," Freya commanded, feeling the baby backing her up. She felt the shock from the Doctor as his body went limp. She only managed to go down with him, wincing as the baby kicked her from her sharp landing.

Freya pulled a blanket from one of the chairs and tucked it over the Doctor.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure once you have a chance to think things through, you'll be more reasonable," Freya whispered as she made her way out of the TARDIS.

It looked like she was on Earth. That was a plus. She wasn't sure when she was, or where, but Earth was a start.

And she didn't have her cell phone. Or ID. Her jacket was still in her house back in Scotland. She literally had nothing on her. A gust of wind went right through her shirt, sending a shiver down her spine.

She was on a street. All she had to do was knock on a door and ask to borrow someone's phone. She could call James or Jack and they could figure out where she was and get her back.

The question was, which house would be the best bet? She didn't want to end up in a stranger's house, but she didn't really have an option. Her eyes landed on a door that was painted almost the same shade as the TARDIS.

If anything, that had to be a sign. Freya made her way over to the door, knocking on it.

A few seconds later, the door was yanked open by a man with brown hair and a rather large nose. His eyes widened at her and he quickly tugged her inside.

"Freya? What are you doing here?" he asked her. Freya stared at him, trying to think if she knew him from somewhere. She couldn't place him.

"I'm sorry. I don't know who you are. I was wondering if I could borrow a mobile? I need to call a friend," Freya said politely. The man stared at her for a moment before Freya felt a pain in her side. She gasped at the sensation. The man quickly ushered her to the couch, sitting her down.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked her professionally, worry creeping onto his face. Freya pointed to a section on her side, wincing as the baby kicked that area.

"Breathe. Breath in, breath out. Slowly," the man instructed her, mimicking how she should breathe. Freya's eyes widened at his demonstration.

"But I'm not going into labor! I can't be!" Freya protested in horror.

"Sh. Just breathe. Breathing will help," the man promised. As soon as Freya began to mimic his breathing, he made his way to a desk in the room and pulled out a device. He brought it over, pressing it lightly against Freya's stomach.

Like a portable ultrasound.

The man sighed in relief.

"This can be fixed. It's okay. Just calm down. I'll have Amy make you some calming tea," the man said.

"Who's Amy? Who are you? What's wrong?" Freya demanded, her breathing speeding up once more.

"My name's Rory. Amy's my wife. We travel with you and the Doctor," the man said.

"Not yet you don't," Freya corrected him, relaxing slightly at his words. Rory's eyes widened.

"So you really haven't met me yet?" he asked, confused. Freya shook her head.

"Amy? Can you put on the kettle? We have a guest that needs some of that calming tea," Rory called out.

"Put it on yourself, stupid face," a Scottish voice called back from the kitchen. Rory smiled at Freya.

"Freya's here and I need to check up on the baby," Rory shouted back. No words came back. He turned back to Freya and gave her a reassuring smile once more.

"Stress is the problem. You have increased stress levels and it was trying to shock the baby into premature labor. The baby wasn't happy by this, naturally, so she was fighting back," Rory explained.

"It's a he," Freya corrected. Rory's eyes widened slightly.

"Oh. Is this your first pregnancy?" Rory asked in disbelief before covering his mouth.

"I already know I'll be pregnant again. And yes. Hopefully nearing the end," Freya said, rubbing her stomach slightly.

"The tea will help. The Doctor left us with some in case of emergencies. You may need two or three cups to fully bring your stress down. Where's the Doctor?" Rory asked.

"Not here. Not the one I'm looking for," Freya admitted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" the Scottish girl asked as she entered the room, handing Freya a cup of tea before sitting next to Rory and Freya.

"I….His older self tried kidnapping me," Freya said slowly.

"He did what?" Rory asked in disbelief.

"I think I recently died for him. I'm not too sure. But he was really upset and wanted me. And showed me his TARDIS before taking off. I'm sure he'll realize what he did was wrong when he wakes up," Freya said carefully.

"Wakes up? You didn't hit him, did you?" Amy asked in disbelief.

"No. The baby wanted us to get away. I guess he could tell I was freaking out. So we managed to make the Doctor sleep," Freya said.

"How?" Amy wanted to know.

"The baby's Time Lord, like his dad. I guess he used his telepathy to do it. I'm sure he won't be out long, but if you're his past, he won't dare come in here," Freya said, gratefully.

"So what do you want us to do?" Rory asked.

"Can you glance outside and see if the TARDIS is still out there?" Freya asked. Rory stood and made his way to the door, only freezing when the doorbell rang.

After a moment, Amy stalked over to the door. She threw it over and tugged the man at the door inside by his bowtie, flinging him at the couch next to Freya. Freya quickly scooted to the side, staring at him.

"Would you care to tell me why you're being an arse?" Amy demanded, glaring at him.

"Hello to you too," the man said. Rory crossed his arms, staring at him as well.

"Drink your tea and take another deep breath," Rory instructed, not even glancing at Freya. She did as he asked. The man next to her turned and his eyes widened.

"Freya! What are you doing here?" the man asked.

"As if you don't know," Amy scoffed. Freya glanced between Amy and Rory and the man, eyes widening.

"He doesn't know," Freya said, staring between them. She closed her eyes, thinking. Trying to figure things out.

This man. They thought he was the Doctor.

So that meant he was the Doctor. Another version of him. Probably before the versions he had just met.

"Are you the eleventh version?" Freya finally asked, opening her eyes. The man's eyes widened and he opened his mouth.

"I…yes? Freya. Is this our first meeting?" the man asked.

"This is a day of firsts," Freya murmured, sipping her tea once more as Bad Wolf kicked her once more. She pressed her hand against her stomach, wincing once more.

"What's wrong?" the man she'd decided was the Doctor asked as he put one arm around her shoulder and the other on her stomach.

"What are you doing? You just tried to kidnap her!" Amy shouted at him.

"No I didn't!" the Doctor said back, still staring at Freya.

"Your older self did. I'm sure you'll come around," Freya said.

"She knocked you out," Amy gloated.

"And I just left you here?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.

"I don't know. Is the other TARDIS gone?" Freya asked.

"He has to be because the TARDIS doesn't let me land accidentally where there's another version of it. It takes a lot of turning off switches to manage that," the Doctor said with a grin.

"Why do I get the impression that you like turning off all the switches?" Freya asked. The Doctor's grin got even wider.

"Because I do. Turning off switches is cool," he said, adjusting his bow tie.

"I'm confused. Explain," Amy said, staring between the two of them.

"Is there any way you can bring me to my current time Doctor? I just want to go back," Freya said.

"I can try. I'm pretty good at getting places," the Doctor said, only to have both Rory and Amy scoff at him.

"Twelve years much?" Amy asked.

"Rio?" Rory repeated.

"Please. I feel like I'm being overwhelmed with knowledge I shouldn't have yet," Freya said softly.

"Welcome to our lives. Just finish your tea. The Doctor will not take you anywhere until the threat of early labor has been fixed," Rory advised her.

"Are you a doctor too?" Freya asked.

"No. Just a nurse," Rory told her with a soft smile.

"You know an awful lot for being just a nurse," Freya told him, giving him her own smile.

"Right! Enough of that. What time are you from? Who am I and who am I with?" the Doctor asked her impatiently.

"Are you….are you jealous?" Amy asked in disbelief.

"No. Why would I be jealous? What do I have to be jealous of? I'm not jealous," the Doctor said, waving his hands about frantically.

"It's okay, Doctor. I was just being kind. You're a bit…insecure," Freya said nervously.

"He's always like this. Afraid you're going to run off with the next person we meet," Amy said, rolling her eyes.

"Why? Do I do that?" Freya asked in alarm, turning to the Doctor.

"Spoilers," the Doctor managed to say.

"You're upsetting her again," Rory pointed out. Freya focused on her breathing once more before taking a long sip of her tea.

"I'm with you and Martha. We just left New York in 1930, with Tallulah and Laszlo and the Daleks," Freya said with a wince.

"Ah. That time. And I what? Dropped you off at home? Oh. I did. I do believe I'm starting to remember that. I was frantic when I couldn't land. This is where you were?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.

"So I guess that means I can't tell the Doctor where I was," Freya murmured.

"We had two adventures before we managed to get you back. So there's truly no hurry in getting you back," the Doctor said, settling down on the couch.

"I'd hope there's no hurry. I'd rather her be healthy before you cart her off again," Rory said, taking Freya's low cup and heading into the kitchen with it. He came back a minute later with it topped off.

"Thanks," Freya murmured, sipping on it some more.

"Just keep drinking that," Rory told her kindly. Freya nodded, sipping as she did.

"So you're saying we are going to keep Freya here while trying to keep from telling her the future? How do you plan on doing that?" Amy asked in disbelief.

"No problem," the Doctor said, propping his feet up on the table.

"Um, big problem. Because you can't keep the future from us while we're in our current time," Amy pointed out.

"She does have a point," Rory said.

"You're only agreeing with her because she's your wife," the Doctor said, waving them off.

"But this probably isn't a good idea. You don't seem to be very good at keeping things inside," Freya said, already noting this.

"That's not fair! I can if I have to," the Doctor said with a pout.

"I'm sure you can. But I think I should get back to my own time. So I don't learn something I shouldn't," Freya said.

"You'll be fine," the Doctor waved it off.

"You have to stay until you at least are out of risk of premature labor," Rory said with a tone of finality.

"I should go have a talk with my older self about upsetting you," the Doctor said, leaping to his feet.

"No. You really shouldn't," Amy said, glaring at him.

"As much as that talk is much needed, I don't think you should be the one to give it," Rory added.

"Why not?" the Doctor asked with a frown.

"Because I doubt very much that you are supposed to meet your future selves," Freya said firmly.

"But Freya," the Doctor whined. Freya only shook her head.

"No. Not a good idea," Freya said firmly.

"But I already know what I look like. It's not like it's that big of a deal," the Doctor tried. Freya just leveled him with another stare before he huffed and flung himself back on the couch, draping limbs everywhere.

"How long would you say it is before I'm able to go?" Freya asked Rory.

"A few hours, I'd say. You need to be completely stress-free first," Rory explained apologetically.

"What are we going to do for a few hours that doesn't involve stress? The Doctor is here. That automatically means that something is going to happen," Freya pointed out.

"Not always," the Doctor contradicted. Freya only had to give him a glare.

"Fine. It usually happens," the Doctor grumbled.

"You're rather different," Freya observed.

"Of course I am! I'm not all sulky!" the Doctor pointed out.

"You sulk all the time!" Amy complained.

"And you weren't sulky before!" Freya added in.

"Yes I was," the Doctor said before his eyes lit up.

"Can we play the Wii?" the Doctor asked.

"The what?" Freya asked, bewildered.

"I doubt it's been invented yet for you. And no. That's not inclusive when Freya needs to be relaxing," Rory told him.

"It's just like raising a child," Amy said, staring at the Doctor and shaking her head.

"Oi! I'm nothing like a child!" the Doctor said.

"Yes you are," Rory said.

"You kind of are," Amy added. The Doctor turned to Freya with wide eyes.

"You do act quite a bit like a child, honey," Freya said before smiling at the Doctor.

"If we can't play the Wii, can we go on an adventure?" the Doctor begged.

"Not yet. Didn't we just say that Freya needs to rest and be calm before you can take her back?" Rory pointed out.

"Besides, I needed to go to the grocery store. We're pretty much out of food," Amy said.

"I'll go with you," Freya said. She had a feeling that if she stayed here, she would not get any relaxing done. Not with how high-strung the Doctor seemed to be.

"Not without me you aren't. I need to keep monitoring you and make sure nothing else happens," Rory said, standing alongside Freya and Amy.

"You can't just leave me here. I'll come too. We can take the TARDIS," the Doctor said.

"Or we can take my car. It won't look good to park a blue box in a parking spot outside of the grocery store," Rory pointed out.

"Don't diss the TARDIS," the Doctor pouted.

"Are you sure you want to go to the grocery store? It seems a bit…domestic," Freya said suspiciously.

"I can do domestic!" the Doctor countered, leaping to his feet.

"Alright. To the grocery store," Amy said, her voice lacking any enthusiasm.

"Has the Doctor ever made it to the grocery store with you before?" Freya asked curiously.

"No. I'm kind of scared," Amy shot back with a grin.

"Um, Doctor, where's the current me? The me of your time?" Freya asked, the thought occurring to her for the first time.

"She's at home. Where else?" the Doctor asked.

"At home. So on the TARDIS?" Freya asked. The Doctor shifted uncomfortably.

"Um, no. Actually, no. In Scotland," the Doctor said.

"That's not home. Home's on the TARDIS," Freya pointed out.

"You're visiting with family. You do that sometimes. We could have just taken them on an adventure, but you wanted a sit down for a bit," the Doctor grumbled.

"That's what humans need, Doctor. You can't run her into the ground," Amy said as Rory got his keys.

"Come on. Let's get going," Rory said.

The four of them piled into Rory's car as he drove them to the grocery store. Both Rory and the Doctor helped Freya from the car, leaving Amy shaking her head in irritation.

"Men. They have to outdo each other," Amy said to Freya.

"Why are they trying to outdo each other?" Freya asked.

"Because Rory's worried about you. And the Doctor feels jealous. Never really gets over that, he does," Amy said with a glare in his direction.

Getting in the store was the easy part. Then the Doctor decided he wanted a cart. A large cart. To push, all on his own.

After he crashed into a display, Amy delegated him to following the cart while she pushed it.

"You sure have a lot of energy," Freya said as the Doctor looped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"Nah. You're just slow right now," the Doctor told her with a grin before giving her a kiss on the cheek and dashing off to try to throw five different kinds of jammy dodgers in the cart.

"Doctor, unless you plan on paying for those, we are not getting them," Amy said, hands on her hips.

"But you need jammy dodgers for when I come over, and for when Freya comes over! And what about when our children stop by?" the Doctor asked, staring intently at her.

"Then you can bring your own jammy dodgers," Rory pointed out. The Doctor flounced off towards a candy display.

"I don't know how you manage to keep up with that alien," Amy said.

"He's not as energetic right now. Wow. And here I thought my version of him was too energetic. I'll never say that again," Freya said, releasing her breath as she tried blowing a strand of her hair out of her face.

"After taking care of him all the time, raising children's got to be a breeze," Amy said, staring as Rory managed to take all the candy from the Doctor's hands and place it back on the shelf.

"Doctor!" Freya called. The Doctor spun around, quickly stumbling his way towards them.

"Why don't you sit in the cart? That'd be fun, right?" Freya asked. The Doctor glanced at the cart and then at Freya.

"Why? Do I look like someone that would enjoy cart races? Yes! I would! Rory can push a cart with you in it and we can race through the aisles!" the Doctor said cheerfully as he leapt into the cart. His foot caught on the edge, sending his face into the front of the cart.

"Graceful, you are," Freya said wryly.

"I invented the word graceful! Or was that pasta?" the Doctor asked himself.

"There. He's sitting down. Bettered make this trip a quick one," Freya recommended.

"You got that right," Amy said, walking as quickly as she could down the aisles to pick up items needed.

As she did, Rory made his way back to them, dumping a load of stuff in the cart.

"There. That's half the list," Rory said with relief.

"You could get another cart, you know. This one's mine for racing," the Doctor complained. Rory's eyebrow rose at the words but he didn't offer up a contradiction. They were making their way down the icecream aisle when Freya stopped.

"I think you need ice cream," Freya said.

"No I don't," Amy told her.

"No. But I do. I'd pay for it but I left my jacket in 2008," Freya said.

"Why were you in 2008?" the Doctor asked.

"That's where you kidnapped me from. Not you, future you. Still you," Freya corrected with a frown.

"I don't think ice cream is the healthiest thing for you to eat during pregnancy," Rory began, but even Amy shot a glare at Rory for his words.

"And with those words, you can buy it for her. Pick out whatever kind you like," Amy said. Rory let out a sigh but didn't say a word as Freya grabbed a pint of ice cream and sat it in the cart next to the Doctor.

Miraculously, they made their way out of the grocery store within an hour of entering. Freya would not have thought it possible if she had not been there herself, but they did, despite all the dirty looks the cashiers gave them at the sight of the Doctor sitting impatiently in the cart.

When they got back to the house, the Doctor was bouncing again.

"Can we go on an adventure now? I was thinking the 1600s. Figured we could see where the iconic fairytales came from. You would like that, wouldn't you?" the Doctor asked Freya as Freya settled onto the couch with her ice cream.

"She would probably like to rest," Rory pointed out.

"I got a full night's of sleep though. But I do need to get back," Freya said regretfully.

"No you don't! You can stay with me for a long time and you'll still arrive back a few minutes after you left," the Doctor said.

"You really don't change," Freya said, recalling how his older self had said those exact words.

At that moment, the phone rang. Amy made her way to it, answer the phone. With a frown, she handed it to Freya.

"It's for you," she said slowly. Freya took the phone from her.

"Hello?" Freya asked.

"_Hey. It's me. The Doctor. I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have done that. I can take you home now," _the older Doctor's voice filtered to her.

"How do I know you're telling the truth and you won't try it again?" Freya asked, gripping the phone. Rory's hands were on her shoulders instantly. Freya did her best to relax her shoulders.

"_I won't. I shouldn't have done that. You were right. I know better. I ought to have known better before. But I can take you back to the right time. I'm afraid my younger self will not be able to get you to the right time,"_ he said.

"I'll be out in a minute," Freya said, hanging up the phone.

"That would be my ride home," Freya said.

"I thought you said he kidnapped you. And why is he still here? I thought two of you couldn't be here at the same time," Amy said.

"I turned a lot of switches off," the Doctor said with a shrug.

"It will be fine. I will see you guys…well, when I meet you for the first time, I guess. Thank you for everything," Freya said with a smile.

"It was nice seeing you again," Amy told her before giving her a tight hug. Rory also hugged her and then scanned her once more.

"You should be good. Just stay calm. Please," Rory begged her. Freya nodded solemnly at his words.

"I'll do my best," she said. She then turned to the Doctor, who looked forlorn to see her leaving.

"I could take you home," he said.

"Of course you could. It's okay. I'll see you again. Go pick current me up," Freya urged.

"I should," the Doctor said, his eyes lighting up once more. He hugged her and gave her a quick kiss before dashing out of the room.

Freya made her way down the street in the opposite direction of the Doctor. After a few minutes, she spotted the older Doctor leaning against his TARDIS in an alley.

"Took you long enough," the Doctor grumbled, but he opened the door nonetheless.

"And you're taking me home this time, right? No detours, no attempting to keep me?" Freya asked for clarification.

"I'll take you home," the Doctor said softly. Freya brushed past him into the TARDIS once more. He then paused for a moment.

"Actually, before, you need to send a message to his TARDIS. Let him know it's okay to go on a few adventures and that you'll see him soon. Now that I think about it, I remember getting a message like that. Here. Send it from here," the Doctor said.

"And you'll still take me right back?" Freya asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. But this way everything happens as it ought," the Doctor said. Freya did as she was told before turning to the Doctor.

"Who do you travel with now?" she asked.

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"No. I don't need a name. But tell me you travel with someone. You don't need to be alone," Freya begged him.

"I'm not alone. I have a companion. She just…doesn't stay on the TARDIS all the time," the Doctor mumbled, sounding a bit sad at the words.

"Go get her. Show her the universe. You aren't alone, Doctor, and you don't have to be sad. Come visit me, next time I'm on Earth alone. Come visit me, only don't try kidnapping me," Freya told him with a wink. The Doctor gave her a smile before hugging her. He then frowned at the TARDIS screen.

"Right. I can't actually take you where you have to go. It'd interfere with the disguise. However, I can give you something to get there," the Doctor said, spinning around. He made his way to his bookshelve, pulling box after box from the shelf. After a moment, he pulled out what looked like Bad Wolf's Vortex Manipulator.

"You can use this. Give it to Bad Wolf when you're done with it. He always did say he got his from you," the Doctor said, his tone reminiscent.

"Why can't you take me?" Freya asked.

"Because currently, if I recall it correctly, I am in hiding from these aliens that can sense stuff like this. I've made myself human and am hiding in 1913. With this, after you put on an age appropriate dress, you can arrive there as well," the Doctor explained.

"Made himself human?" Freya asked. The Doctor waved his hand.

"Not important. I'm sure Martha will explain it to you when you arrive. Use your imagination, come up with a story to help yourself blend in. Go on, grab a dress," the Doctor said, ushering her along. Freya made her way to the wardrobe room, thinking.

1913. Of all the years. And human? Did that mean the Doctor was a different person? Would he remember her?

If he didn't, she'd have a problem. She was heavily pregnant. She couldn't claim to be married if the Doctor didn't recognize her; that would be horrible. So she'd have to be a single pregnant girl in 1913. Travelling alone.

Her mind whirled as she got dressed and made her way back to the Console room. The Doctor strapped the Vortex Manipulator around her wrist and with a quick kiss on her cheek, pressed the button.

**So what did you think?**

**Before I get angry comments, I want to point something out. First of all, 12 kidnapping her isn't far-fetched. If Freya died recently, he'd be really upset (and don't start trying to count years - he doesn't have to see her death in the right order). Add that to the fact that here he's just recently regenerated and confused. I don't see it being at all far-fetched. **

**Next, Bad Wolf's abilities. Bad Wolf is almost full term. He had a relatively developed mind here. If the Doctor had been expecting an attack, he would have been able to shield it no problem. He had no idea the baby could do that. So he was taken by surprise and it knocked him out for a little bit. **

**Also, if someone has an issue with how she gets where she's going, tough. The Time Vortex is less detectable than the TARDIS, although I will say it might have set things off a bit. I'm a few pages into the next chapter. I don't know yet whether the Human Nature/Family of Blood arc will be two or three episodes yet. A lot happens here. ;) ;) hint hint.**

**Let me know what you think of this! I wanted to give you guys this since I already had it written. Don't let me down!**

**Andi**


	9. 1913

**Here's the next chapter! Just finished it!**

Chapter 9: 1913

Freya felt as if her body was being ripped apart and then flung back together. Colors whirled past her as she landed, falling. Her body collapsed and started to roll – a hill? She had to have landed on a hill.

When she stopped rolling, Freya stayed where she landed. She was in the grass – that was all she could figure out. The Doctor had said she'd end up in the early 1900s? She couldn't remember. Her mind was scrambled.

"Miss? Miss, are you alright?" a man's voice asked her. A few seconds later, a face appeared in her line of vision. It was followed quickly by a woman's face.

"I don't know," Freya said honestly.

"Don't move. I'm a nurse," the woman said, kneeling.

"We saw you tumble down the hill. It looked like you were running from someone. Are you okay?" the man asked her. Freya's mind whirled. It was too much to think of with her headache.

"I don't know. I don't remember," Freya lied. It wasn't a true lie, but it was stretching the truth.

"She must have hit her head. I'm going to try to help you sit up. If you feel any pain, let me know," the woman, the nurse, said as she helped Freya sit up. Freya's hands automatically came up to her stomach, to her large baby bump.

"Can you tell us what you remember? Your name, perhaps? Your husband's name?" the nurse asked her.

"I'm…I'm Freya. Um…." Freya drifted off.

"It's okay. It'll come back to you. Headmaster, I think we should bring her back to the school. At least until we can figure out where she belongs," the nurse said.

"Matron, we don't have any spare rooms available. Every bed is occupied," the headmaster said with a frown.

"We can't leave a helpless pregnant girl out here without even the slightest of memories. Do any of the teachers have a spare room? Or spare space?" the nurse, Matron, asked.

"The teachers are all married, save that Mr. Smith. However, it is highly inappropriate for a young woman to stay in a man's room," the Headmaster said.

"I am so sorry for causing so much trouble," Freya said quietly.

"Oh no, my dear. Here. We'll help you up," the Headmaster said, wrapping an arm around her as Matron helped lift her. The world spun for a moment as she rose but righted itself after a minute of Freya swaying.

"Thank you so much," Freya said, tugging her sleeve down instinctively over the Vortex Manipulator. She then slid it farther up her arm as well.

"Just try to think on the way back to the school," Matron urged her.

And Freya did think. She tried coming up with the best story. A lot of it depended on how soon she met the Doctor. If he knew who she was, she could say she was his wife. If he didn't…she would have to pretend she had been raped. She couldn't think of any other reason she would be pregnant in that time and still make herself available to the Doctor.

Also, her name. She needed to give them a last name. That ought to satisfy them for awhile.

When they got her to the school, they paused in the main area, at a loss as to where to be.

"We can ask Mr. Smith if we can use his couch to examine her on," Matron suggested.

"Why is the school so full?" Freya wondered aloud.

"We have a few guests in right now. They are supposed to be here for two weeks," the headmaster said. The two of them helped her up the stairs and to a room where they knocked on the door.

The door was jerked open…to reveal the Doctor. Freya bit her lip to keep from gasping out.

"Ah. Matron, Headmaster, what brings you here? And who is this?" the Doctor asked.

Freya's heart sank.

But at least she had a few things figured out.

First of all, the Doctor was this Mr. Smith. Second, he had no clue as to who she was. Third, she had a lot of lying to come up with. She was grateful for her memory loss ploy. That would help her to gradually give out the details.

"We were hoping we could use your couch to examine her. The place is so full for the conference that we don't even have a spare bed at the moment," Matron said apologetically. The Doctor – no, Mr. Smith – stepped aside, allowing them in. Freya was practically carried to the couch, where they laid her down as the Matron began poking and prodding her.

"Have you remembered anything else?" the Headmaster asked.

"My last name. It's MacLeish. Freya MacLeish," Freya lied.

"That sounds like a Scottish name. How did you get over here? Or do you live here now?" the Headmaster asked.

"I…I don't know. I…I'm not married," Freya stuttered.

"But you have a wedding ring?" Matron pointed out.

"My mother's. My father…he died. My mother gave me her ring," Freya said, as if remembering it suddenly. She glanced up at the others, noting their suspicious looks.

"I was attacked," Freya said, hands drifting to her stomach. Just like that, the looks of disdain faded to ones of sympathy.

"Oh, my dear. Who will be looking for you?" Matron asked.

"No one. I don't think anyone. I…my mother. I can't remember. I think she's dead?" Freya guessed. Freya pretended to reach behind her, like for a knapsack. Because if she was travelling alone, she ought to have one.

"I think I was robbed," Freya lied, making her eyes wide.

"Miss MacLeish, we will do our best to find you a bed here," the Headmaster promised.

"She could sleep in here," Mr. Smith said, speaking up for the first time. The Headmaster and Matron both looked up in shock at his words. His eyes widened as he realized what he had said.

"No. I don't mean to be forward. You have mentioned that the maids are having to take shifts on who sleeps to conserve beds, yes? I have a maid. Miss MacLeish could sleep in here, as could the maid. I will sleep in my bed, and Miss MacLeish on the couch, and the maid on the ground next to her. That way, it is not inappropriate. And that frees up a bed," Mr. Smith said, his words rushing out.

"It is still highly inappropriate, but given the circumstances, it may be the best. Is this okay with you, Miss MacLeish? You were the one who was attacked. We will make sure you are chaperoned at all times to preserve your safety," the Headmaster said.

"I am very grateful, sir," Freya said.

"I'm no sir. Just Headmaster, if you please," the Headmaster said.

"If you don't mind me asking, Miss MacLeish, are you feeling okay? Any pain, discomfort? How far along are you?" Matron asked her. Freya pressed her hand against her stomach. She had just almost miscarried before. What would this do to her? She had no idea how much longer it would be before she gave birth. She hadn't been getting any bigger recently, but with the miscarriage threats and premature labor threats, she had to be getting close.

"I'd say she has three months left," Mr. Smith guessed. Both Matron and the Headmaster stared up at Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"My mother had many children as I got older. I was able to tell," Mr. Smith said. Even Freya had to admit it sounded weak.

"You look quite a ways along," Matron said with a frown.

"I don't know. I don't know much of anything about it," Freya lied, pretending to be dumber than she was. She wasn't sure how much people knew in this time, but if she had been raped and her mother was not in the picture, it was unlikely that she would know what all was going on.

"You wouldn't either," Matron said.

"I must be off. Matron, if you can find her suitable clothing and a proper meal, I'm sure she will feel better. Farringham School welcomes you," the headmaster said.

"Please, Headmaster, I'll do anything I can to help out, to repay you for your kindness," Freya said immediately.

"I doubt there is very much you can do in your condition. However, if something comes up that we feel you can do, we will let you know," the Headmaster told her stiffly before leaving the room. Matron glanced at Freya and then Mr. Smith.

"I have to go find some new clothing for Miss MacLeish," Matron said. Mr. Smith's eyes widened.

"Oh! Yes. Sorry. I don't have to teach class for another two hours, if you would like me to watch over her. We will leave the door open and I can send for Martha to come clean the room," Mr. Smith suggested.

Martha. So Martha was a maid. Of course. The time period. Freya felt a pang for Martha at that.

"Right. Miss MacLeish, are you fine with this? If it makes you uncomfortable, I will not leave until the maid arrives," Matron told her. Freya glanced at Mr. Smith, then at the door. It would be wide open. Even in this time period, she doubted it would be considered too scandalous.

"It's okay. I'm sure the maid will be here soon," Freya said softly. Matron blinked and nodded, making her way out of the room. '

Mr. Smith sat down slowly, settling himself in the arm chair across from Freya. Freya struggled into a sitting position. The two of them just stared at each other for a moment.

"Have we met before?" Mr. Smith asked her.

"I…I don't know, sir. I can't remember a lot of things," Freya lied.

"No need to call me sir. Mr. Smith will do just fine," Mr. Smith said. Freya nodded, keeping her eyes low.

She needed information. Why were they here? What was going on? She was hoping Martha could tell her.

She was hoping Martha would be good at improvising.

Bad Wolf chose that moment to kick her particularly hard, eliciting a gasp from her. Her hand pressed against the bump automatically.

Bad Wolf was getting impatient. Freya doubted he'd wait three months to make his appearance, especially at the rate he was going.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Smith asked, immediately settling onto the couch next to her. His eyes were fearfully wide as he waited for her to answer.

"Yes. He…the baby, the baby kicked. Pretty hard," Freya said, stumbling over the words. Stupid! She couldn't know it was a boy, not in this time period. She didn't want to say anything odd.

"Does it hurt?" Mr. Smith asked, his alarm still not fading.

"Yeah," Freya breathed out as Bad Wolf kicked again. She nearly doubled over, wishing the pain would stop. She begged Bad Wolf to stop kicking, trying to feel what he was thinking.

He just…seemed bored. Bored and ready to leave.

That was not going to happen. Freya was not about to give birth in 1913.

A hand rested on her stomach and Bad Wolf paused kicking for a moment before delivering another kick.

"That was the baby?" Mr. Smith asked in horror. Freya cracked open her eyes to see Mr. Smith's alarmed face as he pressed his hand against her stomach.

It felt so natural.

But not for that time. Freya doubted it was normal for a man to touch a girl in any way in this time.

Freya pushed that thought away, resting her second hand on her stomach as well, slipping slightly into her subconscious to find the baby.

"It's okay, darling. Everything's okay. You can stop kicking me," Freya begged, hoping her voice was soothing. She focused on leveling out her breathing, thinking of as many calm thoughts as she could.

"You're hurting your mother. You don't want to hurt your mother, do you?" Mr. Smith asked, adding his own voice in. Bad Wolf paused once more, as if sensing his father nearby.

But technically, he wasn't exactly his father.

And Bad Wolf could tell, it seemed.

"Sir, Matron told me you needed me….is something wrong?" Martha's voice filled the room as she rushed forward.

"It's not your place, Martha," Mr. Smith said sharply. Freya locked eyes with Martha.

"Do you know anything about pregnancies? I'm scared," Freya said, making her voice as innocent as she could. Martha's eyes widened as she grasped the straws Freya offered.

"I do. I know a lot about pregnancies," Martha said, moving closer.

"How do you know a lot about pregnancies?" the Doctor scoffed. Martha stared at him for a moment.

"My mother was a midwife. When I got older I helped her deliver babies," Martha lied. Mr. Smith still regarded her dubiously as she moved closer, kneeling beside Freya. She place her own hands on Freya's stomach, feeling around while Freya and Mr. Smith's hands stayed in place.

"The baby seems unsettled. Try talking, singing. A mother's voice ought to sooth him," Martha suggested.

"But what if it doesn't?" Freya asked, eyes wide. Martha seemed to understand her fear.

Mr. Smith seemed to share it. He obviously didn't want a woman to give birth on his couch.

"Just stay calm. Remain calm. Just breathe. I'll go get Matron," Mr. Smith said as he jumped up off the couch and took off running out of the room.

"What are you doing here?" Martha asked as she sat down. She pulled a stethoscope from her pocket quickly, listening to Freya's hearts and lungs before listening to the baby. Bad Wolf still hadn't stopped kicking.

"The Doctor's future self sent me with a Vortex Manipulator. What's going on? All I know is that you guys are in hiding and he's somehow human," Freya said, her voice small. Martha quickly tucked the stethoscope back into her pocket, giving Freya a light push so she was laying back.

"Just breath. Breathe deeply. We need to talk, and we won't have much time. You don't have anything. I might be able to get away with being allowed to accompany you to get some materials, and we can talk then," Martha said just as Mr. Smith and the Matron flew into the room. Martha repeated her breathing exercise, Freya mimicking her as Bad Wolf's kicking finally died down. Freya let out a sigh of relief as the pain slowed and then just became a dull ache.

"What's wrong?" Matron asked, moving closer.

"I'm sorry. I got scared. The baby started kicking and…it scared me," Freya said, making her voice sound as small as she could.

"Martha said she knew quite a bit about babies. Said her mother was a midwife," Mr. Smith said, almost dubiously.

"That could be handy, if it's the truth. It must be scary, but you cannot call on me every time the baby kicks. If Martha is available, she should be able to let you know when you actually need medical help," Matron said.

"I'm sorry Matron," Freya apologized, keeping her eyes on the ground as she spoke.

"It's okay. You didn't know. It's okay, right?" Mr. Smith asked immediately.

"Of course," Matron said immediately. She quickly left the room, looking rather chastised as she did.

"Now, Miss MacLeish, I have a few hours before I'm required to return to my teachings. I'd like to get to know you, unless you'd find that too forward of me," Mr. Smith said cautiously. Freya kept her eyes near the ground. It wasn't as hard, she realized, to act shy. It was just how she'd acted before. She hadn't been that shy in awhile, but it was a nice change and would secure her image as a terrified young woman.

"I don't remember much. I'm sure it will come back to me. I just…I don't remember much of anything. I don't even have my belongings to remind me," Freya said, glancing at Martha.

"No, you don't. You need some sort of belongings. Martha, I know you have chores, but this is more important. Can you accompany Miss MacLeish to the store? I'll come as well, but I'm afraid I will be no help if something happens, or in actually picking out an outfit," Mr. Smith said.

"I am at your disposal," Martha said, earning a slight frown from the Doctor.

As they made their way down the stairs, Freya noticed that all the maids and other women's dresses looked nothing like hers. She had picked hers from the TARDIS and it was of much finer quality than theirs were.

"As soon as I feel better, I will do whatever I need to earn my keep. I appreciate all the help," Freya said, testing her theory.

"Oh no. We wouldn't want you to have to do anything, especially not with the baby. I'm sure the Headmaster would rather you just focus on feeling better and remembering," Mr. Smith said.

They thought she was rich.

In the store, the Doctor described to the man in charge what he was looking for and the man handed Martha a dress to help put on Freya. Once they were in the back room, Freya turned to Martha.

"They think I'm rich because of the dress. It was a dress the TARDIS gave me," Freya whispered.

"I gathered," Martha said, her voice tinged with bitterness.

"What's going on?" Freya asked.

"You want to do this now?" Martha asked as she moved behind Freya to undo the dress.

"I need to know. I can't play memory loss forever," Freya pointed out.

"We're being hunted by some aliens called the Family of Blood. He had to turn himself human to keep them from finding him. If they find him they'll feed off of him and live forever," Martha said.

"Why couldn't you guys just jump time?" Freya wanted to know.

"They locked onto his scent and had access to a Vortex Manipulator, whatever that is. So they could follow us everywhere. You'd bettered hope they didn't lock onto you," Martha said as she finished undoing the back of the dress. She slid it off of Freya's shoulders before helping Freya step into the new dress.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Freya asked.

"I don't hate you," Martha said, but her voice was entirely unconvincing.

"But you do. You have since you met the Doctor," Freya pointed out sadly. Martha let out a sigh as she started buttoning up the back of the dress.

"It's not fair. I'm smarter than you. I've got more schooling than you. I'm braver than you. And yet you've got the most fantastic man. Instead of me. And you have another man who's head over heels in love with you," Martha pointed out.

"James?" Freya asked uncomfortably. Martha nodded.

"You don't understand. James…he was with another me. An alternate reality me. So he was already in love with her. And he gave up the chance to see his daughter so he could save me," Freya said.

"Exactly," Martha said.

"Martha…I'm sorry," Freya began, but Martha shook her head.

"No. And then you show up here. I barely got on as a maid here, because I'm colored. You come and they treat you like royalty, despite the fact that they ought to be treating you like a whore," Martha said.

"I got lucky," Freya said, her voice small.

"You always get lucky. And to be frank, it pisses me off. I just want to get lucky, once," Martha said.

"But you will. You're going to meet a fantastic man, and you are going to love him and him love you," Freya said, thinking of Mickey. She wasn't sure how it would happen, with him being stuck in an alternate world, but she knew he would.

"You can't possibly know that," Martha scoffed.

"But I do. I've met you in the future, before I met you now. That's how I know. You're going to be happy," Freya promised. Martha was silent as she finished with the dress. She then examined it.

"They're going to have to take it up about six inches," Martha said, noting the material bunched at her feet. Martha then helped her out of it. A knock sounded on the door as Freya was stripped once more. Martha moved to the door and opened it slightly, keeping Freya covered.

"It fits but needs taken up six inches from the ground," Martha said. That was taken as another few things were handed to her. Martha made her way back to Freya, holding up a gown.

"What is that?" Freya asked, keeping her voice quiet.

"It's a night gown," Martha said, her own nose wrinkled up.

"Looks like a white trash bag," Freya admitted. Martha snorted at her words before masking her face with indifference.

"I don't envy this," Martha said as she tugged it over Freya's head.

The night gown ended about three inches above her ankles, something Martha shrugged off.

"No one will see it," Martha said.

"Actually, I'm supposed to sleep on Mr. Smith's couch. And you on the floor next to me," Freya said apologetically.

"Are you kidding me?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"I'm sorry," Freya said.

"It's bad enough I only get four hours of rest before I'm booted out of my bed. Now I don't even get a bed," Martha groused.

"But you get more sleep. I'm sorry," Freya apologized. Martha let out a sigh and helped Freya try on the other clothing articles.

When they had finished, Freya felt exhaustion seeping in. They made it out of the dressing room only for Freya to sway slightly. Martha steadied her immediately before Mr. Smith even noticed her unsteadiness.

"Miss MacLeish, are you alright?" Mr. Smith asked worriedly.

"Yes. I'm so sorry. I must be tired," Freya said quietly.

"When we get back you'll have the room to yourself. I must be getting on to class as soon as we return and Martha has a list of things to occupy her, I'm certain. Let's go then," Mr. Smith said, speaking a few more words with the shopkeeper before the clothes Freya brought out were wrapped and handed to Martha to carry.

"I cannot thank you enough for your kindness," Freya said to Mr. Smith as he led them out of the shop.

"It is of no consequence. Come now. We must hurry back," Mr. Smith said.

The three of them walked briskly back toward the school. As soon as they entered the room, Mr. Smith tugged a long gown over his suit and placed a hat on his head that reminded Freya of the caps from graduations.

"Martha, you are dismissed," Mr. Smith said. Martha curtseyed before hurrying out of the room. Mr. Smith turned to Freya as she sat down on the couch. He frowned for a moment before gathering his stack of books.

"Miss MacLeish, I hope you do not think of me as being too informal, but I think you would be more comfortable if you slept in my bed. You surely will not sleep the entire day away; I will have no personal use for it until nightfall. After the day you have had, I imagine you could use a good sleep in a proper bed," Mr. Smith said. Freya thought about it for a moment before cautiously nodding.

"Only if you are certain," Freya said carefully. Mr. Smith nodded and made his way to the door. He paused in the doorway, glancing back at her.

"Have a good nap," he said before making his way out of the room.

Freya didn't even bother trying to change into the nightgown she had been given. She toed off her shoes before climbing into the bed. She was careful to try to keep from messing the bed up that much as she crawled under the covers.

Within seconds, she was asleep.

She woke up to hearing voices.

"I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't realize…" a kid's voice was saying.

"Oh! Oh no. Don't worry Latimer. She's taking a nap. They found her today out by Briar's Hill with no memories. With the conference, there wasn't enough room for her. Her and my maid are staying here as well," Mr. Smith's voice said.

"But sir…she's in your bed," the boy's voice said.

"She was tired and I was not going to be using it," Mr. Smith responded.

"Now wait here. I have to fetch the book I was talking about from the library. I must have already returned it. Just stay quiet," Mr. Smith warned him. Freya opened her eyes just as Mr. Smith shut the door behind him.

The boy, who he had called Latimer, was staring at her with wide eyes.

"I am so sorry, Miss! Did I wake you?" Latimer asked in alarm.

"Oh no. You're fine. I was already waking up," Freya said as she sat up slowly. Latimer stared at her for a moment before his eyes widened.

As if he were seeing someone else.

"Latimer?" Freya asked.

"That's my last name. My first name's Timothy….how did you know my last name?" he asked in alarm.

"Mr. Smith said it before he left. Are you alright? You look a bit faint," Freya said.

"You're a mother," Timothy blurted out.

"I will be, yes," Freya said, gesturing slightly to her stomach. Timothy shook his head.

"No. You are a mother. Already," Timothy said.

"Why do you say that?" Freya asked, keeping her voice as comforting as she could. Something was spooking Timothy, and Freya hated to think that it could be her.

Timothy shook his head, clamming up.

"It's okay. You can tell me," Freya coaxed.

"You have a son. A son older than me. Sometimes older than you. And a daughter," Timothy said.

"I do. But they haven't been born yet. It's confusing, isn't it?" Freya asked him, keeping her voice soft.

"You know? How do you know? That's not…that's not possible," Timothy said.

"Anything's possible. Like you. You shouldn't be able to know that, but you do. That's a pretty powerful gift," Freya said.

"Gift?" Timothy asked, staring at her as if it were a foreign term. Freya climbed out of bed, only to stumble into Timothy. He steadied her.

"Thanks. Help me to the couch?" Freya asked. Timothy did just that. Freya sat down and patted the couch next to her.

"Why don't we talk? Sit," Freya asked him. Timothy sat, still regarding her carefully.

"You do have a gift, though, don't you, Timothy?" Freya asked him encouragingly. Timothy's gaze dropped to the floor.

"I guess. I guess and I happen to be right. A lot," Timothy mumbled.

"It's more than guessing though, isn't it? Do you see visions too?" Freya asked. Timothy's head shot up at her words.

"Do you see visions too?" he asked, almost eagerly.

"No. But I know it has to be hard. I understand. But I want you to know something, okay? Just because you see visions does not mean you are weird. Or odd. It means you're special, more special than so many others. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," Freya said before giving the boy a hug. He hugged her back tightly.

About that time, Mr. Smith walked in the door with a book. He had his mouth open, as if he were about to say something, but he closed it as he entered the room.

Timothy pulled back, eyes wide when he saw Mr. Smith. Freya wasn't going to have that.

"Timothy, if you ever need to talk, about anything, please, come to me. I can listen, and sometimes that's all you need. Someone to listen. Don't forget what I told you," Freya told him, staring intently at the boy. Timothy nodded before leaping to his feet, taking the book from Mr. Smith.

"Thank you sir. Thank you, miss," Timothy added before rushing out of the room. Mr. Smith gave her a funny look before moving to sit on the couch where Timothy had been sitting.

"Did you have a pleasant nap?" Mr. Smith asked.

"I did. I feel very refreshed," Freya said. She glanced at the door Timothy had just escaped from.

"He's a nice kid. I wish the others didn't bully him so," Freya murmured.

"Bully him?" Mr. Smith asked, eyebrows rising.

"He didn't say, but it was obvious. They must pick on him all the time," Freya said sadly.

"They're boys. They always pick on each other," Mr. Smith said.

"No. It's more than that," Freya said.

"Whatever it was, he looked happier than he has in the month I've been working here. You have a gift with children, Miss MacLeish," Mr. Smith said seriously.

"I hope so. That's what I would like to believe," Freya said, hand creeping to her stomach.

"Would you like a tour of the school?" Mr. Smith asked her.

"Are you done with your classes already?" Freya asked in shock.

"No, but I have a break," Mr. Smith said.

"No, it's okay. I can have a wander on my own. I should be safe to wander in the school, right?" Freya asked as a second thought. Mr. Smith nodded immediately.

"Of course. There are maids everywhere. You're never truly alone here, especially at the moment. If you get hungry, the kitchen in on the first floor at the end of the long hall. They ought to give you some food," Mr. Smith told her as he stood. Freya stood as well, albeit much slower.

"Thank you again," Freya said earnestly.

"It is nothing, Miss MacLeish. No young lady should be on her own in such a time," Mr. Smith said, eyes drifting to her stomach as well. Freya felt a pang of sadness at his words.

"Yeah. No one should."

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Freya liked the school. She took a wander once Mr. Smith left for classes. The school felt very comfortable, very home-like. Not quite TARDIS, but still good.

She managed to wander into the kitchen, where three of the cooks fawned over her and kept calling her a poor thing before giving her the food they deemed to be healthiest for the baby. Freya was just grateful they accepted her.

She was on her way to try finding Mr. Smith's room once more when she ran into a group of older boys.

"Is this her?" the one that looked to be the leader asked. One of the younger boys nodded quickly.

"I didn't know they offered shelter to whores here," the boy said with a sniff. Freya's shoulders stiffened at his words but she didn't allow herself to react otherwise.

"If you will excuse me, I must be getting back," Freya said.

"To Mr. Smith's room? Last teacher I'd expect to hire a whore," the boy said, making the others laugh. The boy who had identified Freya looked chagrined but offered no argument.

The boys shoved past her, the leader knocking Freya into the wall as he did. Freya leaned against the wall until they passed, knowing if she stood too quickly they would only try to do more damage.

The younger boy remained, staring wide-eyed at her in worry.

"Are you alright miss? I can go get Matron," the boy said, eyes wide. Freya shook her head, straightening slowly.

"No. I'm fine," Freya told him. He stared at her for a moment, as if he didn't believe her, before turning and scurrying off.

Freya continued her exploration, ending up in the rarely used library. Unlike the rest of the school, this area was incredibly dusty with piles of books on all the tables, as if students had taken books out and not bothered to return them.

Freya hated seeing a library in such a state. She slowly moved books back one or two at a time, placing them on the shelves they ought to have been on. The shelves themselves were out of order as well, but it was a start. Freya was in the middle of returning a Sherlock Holmes (one of the few actual books she had heard of) to a shelf when she saw a boy sitting in the back, holding a boy and squinting at it in frustration. She moved closer.

He looked younger than the others she had seen – she doubted he was much older than ten, which was younger than the school seemed to accept. Still, she moved closer.

"Are you having trouble there?" Freya asked. The boy continued to glare at the pages.

"No. The words just don't make sense," the boy said before dropping the book on his lap. Freya kept her eyes on the ground as she moved closer, navigating around the piles of books on the floor. When she had made her way to him, she slowly lowered herself to the ground next to him.

He was watching her, she noticed. He seemed a bit nervous.

"Now, what doesn't make sense?" Freya asked him. He shook his head, quickly dropping the book to the side.

"The words don't," he finally said.

"That won't do. Here," Freya said, holding up the Sherlock Holmes book she had been intending on returning to the shelf.

"If that book's words don't make sense, let's see if this book's words do. I'll help you," Freya urged him. He took the book cautiously before scooting a bit closer to Freya so she could see the book too. She kept her finger under the words, allowing him to sound them out and read it slowly. After a while, he dropped the book in his lap.

"It's so hard!" the boy complained.

"But you're getting better. Here. I have an idea. I'll read it aloud to you. You follow what I'm saying with your finger. That way you hear the words as well as read them. It might make more sense that way," Freya suggested. She was about to start when a pile of books on the table near them crashed to the floor. Freya glanced up to see Timothy and the boy from earlier looking sheepish.

"We are sorry miss! We…" the boy drifted off.

"We haven't heard anyone read a story aloud in a long time. Since we got here," Timothy finished sheepishly. Freya glanced at the boy at her side before gesturing for Timothy and the other boy to come over. The two of them sat down along the wall next to Freya on her other side, Timothy sitting next to her.

"Now, I didn't catch your name. Either of your names, for that matter," Freya said as she picked the book up, finding their place.

"Luke," the boy from earlier said. Freya turned to the boy she was helping read, only to see him staring at the ground.

"What's your name?" Freya asked him softly. The boy's head finally tilted up to her.

"Ezekiel," he said.

"Right. Ezekiel, can you still follow along with your finger?" Freya asked him. Ezekiel nodded, the movement tiny.

Freya started reading aloud. As she read, she noticed the boys all sort of shifting closer to her, curling more into her sides. Ezekiel all but tucked himself under her arm as he followed along with the book.

They had been reading for quite some time when they were interrupted.

"It's supper time. You should be heading in there," Mr. Smith's voice called out from where Freya assumed was the door of the library. Freya glanced up, eyes wide to see another four or five boys, all younger, had been listening from near the tables, as if they had been scared to move closer.

Footsteps came closer and Mr. Smith came into view.

"What are you lads doing, standing about in the library?" Mr. Smith asked them before his eyes landed on Freya and the three boys at her side.

"You could have joined us," Freya said, directing her words to the standing boys.

The boys shifted from foot to foot.

"We didn't know if we could," one of them mumbled.

"Of course you could. Next time, just come over and sit down with us," Freya told them.

"Will there be a next time?" Ezekiel asked eagerly. Freya glanced at him and then at the other two boys, both of whom had wide eyes as they waited for her response.

"If you want there to be. As long as you don't start slacking off in your schoolwork," Freya told them. The boys stood and Timothy offered his hand to Freya. Ezekiel, who had noticed what Timothy had done, held out his hands as well. Freya took one of each of their hands and allowed the two boys to slowly pull her to her feet.

Timothy and Luke rushed off with the other boys to dinner, while Ezekiel bent over to pick up the book he had been trying to read Freya arrived.

"Was it making any more sense?" Freya asked him.

"Yeah," the boy agreed. Freya's eyes landed on the book he had been trying to read.

A physics textbook.

"Oh honey, of course it wasn't making sense before. I don't think I could have understood that. Try reading something that is closer to your age level before you try that. That book is trying to teach you physics. It'll use bigger words," Freya told him. Ezekiel still clutched the book tight to his chest.

"But I want to learn it. I want to be as smart as my dad is," Ezekiel said.

"And you will be. But for now, you have to start small," Freya told him, gently pulling the physics book from his arms. His grip was tight but he reluctantly released it to her. Freya replaced it with the Sherlock book they had been reading.

"There. Try that. That'll help you read. Then you can try the physics, if you really want to," Freya told him. The boy held the book tightly in a moment of hesitation before he threw his arms around Freya.

His grip seemed to startle Bad Wolf, and Bad Wolf kicked Freya at the sudden grip. The boy jerked back, eyes wide.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked in alarm.

"No. That was just the baby kicking. Now, why don't you run along to supper?" Freya asked him. Ezekiel stared at Freya for a moment before nodding and dashing out of the room.

"The children seem to love you," Mr. Smith said. Freya had forgotten he was still there. She glanced up at him and sat the book down on the table nearby.

"They're just lonely. I think they miss their own mothers," Freya said.

"Come on," Mr. Smith said, offering Freya his arm.

Freya wasn't sure how proper that was, but she took his arm anyway.

"It's funny. That lot was thirteen and fourteen years old. Most thirteen and fourteen year olds are not missing their mothers in their first year away," Mr. Smith stated.

"I think they do. They just don't have the chance to show it," Freya said.

"You had a good sized crowd. As long as they don't start skipping their classes for it, you should be fine," Mr. Smith told her.

He led her to the cafeteria, where they got food and ate it before heading back to the room. Martha was already there for the evening by the time they made it there.

Mr. Smith got ready for bed and was settled in by the time Martha and Freya made it back in their nightgowns. Mr. Smith had placed two of his blankets on the couch, and Freya immediately handed the one to Martha before settling on the couch.

Despite having slept earlier in the day, Freya fell right asleep.

_Darkness._

_Everywhere, there was darkness. It surrounded her, engulfed her, merged with her very being. It was all she could feel. The dark, empty feeling of nothing. Of coldness. _

_The voices all around her. They all sounded the same. Would she sound the same? How long would it be before she too was part of the voices, the words that said nothing and sounded the same?_

_A brief pain erupted in her. If she had a body, she would have curled into it, but she didn't. She was just an entity, floating there, in the darkness. _

_Alone. _

_Completely alone._

_Entirely alone._

_Alone, and cold, and empty._

_But there was warmth. What was the warmth? It started brief. She felt a flash of warmth. She wanted to be near that warmth. Then it was gone. And the emptiness attacked her once more. _

_And then the warmth was back, there, surrounding her, keeping her safe. She strived to be closer to that warmth. She needed it._

Mr. Smith:

He was startled awake by what sounded like a whimper. It confused him. He sure hadn't whimpered. He sat up slowly, eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room before he noticed movement.

The couch. Where Miss MacLeish had been sleeping. He quickly climbed out of bed, shrugging his dressing gown on as he made his way around the couch.

Martha was already gone for the day, he noticed. And Miss MacLeish was tossing and whimpering, fighting against the blanket. Her face was streaked with tears, even though she appeared to be dead asleep. He tentatively touched her arm, hoping to shake her awake.

At his touch, she stopped. She seemed to melt towards his hand, silent and relaxed. Mr. Smith removed his hand, alarm growing as she began fighting the blanket once more, as if he had never touched her. He considered trying to find Matron, but she would be asleep. Everyone but the maids would be asleep, and he doubted they could help him.

His hand slowly touched her shoulder once more. Just as she had the first time, she relaxed against his grip.

What was he supposed to do about that?

Realizing he would probably regret it, he propped her upper body up and slid onto the couch as well, leaning his head against the back of the couch as he slouched and placing her head in his lap. Her entire body seemed to shift to be closer to him. But she had stopped crying, stopped whimpering, stopped thrashing.

He could sit with her until she was completely asleep.

At least, that's what he told himself as he drifted off to sleep.

Freya:

As Freya felt herself waking up, she was confused, disoriented. She'd had a nightmare, the nightmare, for the first time in months.

And then it had gone away, just like that.

The nightmare never went away. The last time she had had a nightmare even close to that was when they'd been stranded before her and the Doctor shared a bed. But even then, they only stopped when the Doctor started sharing a bed with her.

Freya's eyes slowly cracked open. She was still on the couch. But she felt…different.

Fingers. There were fingers in her hair, and she was laying partially on something.

Someone.

Freya sat up at the realization. Her sudden movement pulled the hands from her hair and she was saddened to lose the contact.

Her eyes met Mr. Smith's eyes.

He looked both concerned and guilty.

"I am so sorry, Miss MacLeish. You were having a nightmare and the only way to calm you down was to…to touch you. I meant no disrespect," Mr. Smith apologized. Freya shook her head.

"I am sorry. I…I haven't had nightmares in awhile," Freya admitted.

"How do you usually stop them?" Mr. Smith asked curiously. Freya shook her head.

"I don't," she murmured.

"You look tired still. It must not have been but a few hours since you calmed down. Go back to sleep. I can move if you'd like," Mr. Smith offered, slowly starting to rise. He stopped halfway in his movement, noticing her stiffening at his attempt to leave.

"Or I can stay here. We can ask Matron today if there is any solution she can think of to help aid your sleep," Mr. Smith suggested, settling himself back onto the couch. There was next to no sunlight streaming in; it must still have been relatively early in the morning. Freya laid her head back down on his lap and his fingers wove themselves in her hair automatically.

And her eyes slid back shut with ease.

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"Mr. Smith, I must protest. It is far from proper."

"I understand the concern, but what am I to do? It was the only way she remained calm enough to stay asleep, and she must need sleep," Mr. Smith's voice responded.

"She does need sleep, but there has to be a better way to help her getting it," the Matron's voice said. Freya became aware of the fingers slowly running their way through her hair.

"Surely given the situation there is something we can do," Mr. Smith pointed out.

"It is highly improper for a man to share a bed or couch with an unmarried woman. Surely you realize that, Mr. Smith. To be doing otherwise is dishonorable and threatens her very honor," Matron said.

"It can't threaten it that badly. She's already pregnant from an attack," Mr. Smith scoffed.

"I already heard all day yesterday from the older boys' inappropriate assumptions about you and her. I feel as though this would give them proof to their accusations," Matron said.

"What should we let her do? Have nightmares and remain unable to rest? When she woke up, she looked as if she had only had an hour of sleep. Which is the only time I had been here with her," Mr. Smith said.

"Matron is correct, Mr. Smith. It is highly inappropriate for you to be sharing a bed or a couch with a woman you are not married to," a male voice said. Freya's mind tried connecting the voice to a person. The Headmaster? Yes. The Headmaster. Freya's sleepy mind wasn't quite understanding why there were people there or what they were talking about.

Her hand moved and the conversation seemed to cease.

"She's waking up. I'll speak with her on the matter," Mr. Smith said, his tone final. There was shuffling as Freya's eyes blinked open.

"Morning," Mr. Smith told her. Freya glanced at the door where the Matron and Headmaster were leaving, her eyes going wide.

"You had a nightmare. You only calmed down by touch," Mr. Smith told her, his voice trying to sound clinical but only coming off as nervous.

"I am so sorry," Freya said as she sat up, instantly missing the warmth of Mr. Smith as she did.

"Don't be. Do you feel well?" Mr. Smith asked her.

"I will," Freya told him. And she would, as soon as those images escaped her head. It had been nice, having time without them in her head.

She missed the TARDIS.

"Do you remember anything else about your past?" Mr. Smith asked.

"What?" Freya asked, momentarily confused.

"Your past. Your amnesia? You had a nightmare," Mr. Smith pointed out.

"I had nightmares a lot," Freya said.

"What are they about?" Mr. Smith asked.

"Being alone. That cold, emptiness," Freya said with a shudder.

"Do you remember anything about your family?" Mr. Smith persisted. Freya opened her mouth and then closed it once more. She could claim Torchwood. But could she? Lady Isobel would be pretty old if she were even still alive.

"I had an aunt. A great aunt. She has an estate in Scotland. I used to spend time there with her," Freya said. She hoped that matched up.

"That is not the best, unfortunately. Do you remember what the estate was called?" Mr. Smith asked.

"Torchwood," Freya answered with ease. The name sent a shiver down Mr. Smith's spine, as if he were remembering something.

"We can send word to Torchwood and see if they have any information about you. I'll send someone immediately," Mr. Smith said, quickly making his way off of the couch.

Freya just hoped that whoever owned Torchwood would be able to vouch for her.

**I'm fairly certain there will be at least another part, possibly two, left to the 1913 arc here. What do you think of this? Some of it may feel a bit unrealistic, but think about it. Somewhere, deep inside, Mr. Smith still remembers Freya and has that urge to protect her. He doesn't realize what it is. But it's there. **

**Next chapter we'll get to the heart of Martha's problems, and some other things you won't be expecting!**

**Oh! Also, how would you guys feel about a Broadchurch fanfiction? I've been playing around with the idea for months and while I'm still doing this, I might want to start one...what do you guys think of that?**

**Review!**

**Andi**


	10. Human Nature

**A.N. Margie-Me pointed out a few errors, so this is just a repost with me correcting those! They aren't plot things, just little details so if you've already read the chapter you're good! Sorry to get your hopes up! But I am currently working on the next chapter! :)**

Chapter 10: Human Nature

A week and a half passed. With each day, the number of the young boys who listened to Freya read grew until every boy under the age of fifteen was sitting in the musty library alongside her, listening aptly to her words.

Soon, the guests and extra maids would leave the school. Freya dreaded thinking of that. Despite what the Headmaster and Matron had said to Mr. Smith, every morning she woke up to her head in his lap on the couch, despite him having fallen asleep in his bed and her on the couch.

Still, she was getting sleep. The first few hours each night when she was alone, she knew she wasn't sleeping. But once Mr. Smith joined her, she could sleep again.

She knew though that as soon as some beds freed up, she'd be given her own bed away from Mr. Smith. And she knew sleep would evade her as soon as that happened.

These thoughts were running through her mind as she walked around the grounds, slowly and carefully hoping to get some fresh air. She was about to turn a corner when sniffles caught her ear. She turned and followed the sound, stopping to see Ezekiel huddled under a bench, arms wrapped around his knees and head down, tears soaking his pants. Freya used the bench to help herself sit down next to it before slowly fitting herself under the bench next to the boy.

It was extremely cramped, but she had a feeling Ezekiel needed all the comfort he could get. And if that meant a moment or two of discomfort for her, so be it.

He seemed to notice her about the time she slid her own legs under the bench. She practically trapped him under there, and she was almost laying down to fit under it. How he fit under, she wasn't sure. It wasn't THAT high of a bench.

"What are you doing?" Ezekiel asked, sniffling.

"You were under here, so I thought it couldn't be that bad. What's up?" she asked, wincing internally. She doubted "what's up" was a term used in 1913.

"Nothing," Ezekiel responded, as if he heard that phrase every day.

"Those tears don't look like nothing," Freya pointed out, wiping one of his tears away as she did.

"They want me to shoot a gun," Ezekiel said.

"Who does?" Freya asked sharply.

"The teachers. They make us all shoot a gun and learn how to load it. But I don't wanna. I don't wanna shoot a gun," Ezekiel sobbed.

"And you shouldn't have to," Freya agreed.

"But they said I have to. And when I refused, they let the older kids beat me," Ezekiel said with a sob. Freya maneuvered herself so that her feet were sticking out and she was slouching next to Ezekiel rather than all the way under the bench. Once she had shifted, she wrapped her arms around the boy. Bad Wolf kicked at the motion – he didn't like her shift in positions, she supposed.

"You should not have to fight if you don't want to," Freya told him.

"But they think I have to. Because of the war," Ezekiel said.

"Not everyone has to fight in the war. Now, why don't we climb out from under this bench so we can talk properly?" Freya asked. Ezekiel nodded and sniffled before climbing out. Once he was out, he helped pull Freya out and helped her up onto the bench. The two of them sat on the bench in silence for a few minutes as Ezekiel sniffled and rubbed his nose.

"How's the reading coming? Have you tried physics again yet?" Freya asked him.

"I did. I still don't understand it," Ezekiel complained quietly.

"It'll come to you. No one can expect you to know physics so early. I still don't understand physics," Freya admitted to him, as if she were telling him a great secret. This got a giggle from him.

"But you know everything," he protested.

"No. I know very little. The day I knew everything would be the day I got bored with life," Freya told him. Ezekiel stared at her in awe at the words.

"Really?" he asked. Freya nodded.

"Really. You don't need to rush learning. Everything will come in its own time," Freya reassured him. She wrapped an arm around him, only for Bad Wolf to kick once more.

"Why is she kicking so much?" Ezekiel asked.

"It's not a she. It's a he. And I don't know," Freya said before freezing.

"Why did you think it was a she?" Freya asked, staring at the boy carefully. Rory had assumed the baby was a she also, but she knew for a fact Bad Wolf was a boy. She had met Bad Wolf already, and her daughter who was after Bad Wolf.

"But it has to be a she," Ezekiel said in confusion, pressing his hand against her stomach. Bad Wolf kicked directly under his hand, causing Ezekiel to jerk back. Freya grabbed his wrist gently, holding him in place. He looked like he was about to run.

"I said what's up, and you responded. That phrase shouldn't be around right now. You shouldn't have known how to answer it. And then you mentioned the war. The war hasn't happened yet. No one knows about the war," Freya said slowly. Ezekiel's eyes went wider with each word that left Freya's mouth.

"And you know the future me, when I'm pregnant with the girl. You're a time traveler too," Freya said. Ezekiel's eyes were conflicted, confused.

"But I thought I wasn't supposed to meet me," Ezekiel murmured, under his breath.

"Ezekiel….are you Bad Wolf?" Freya asked him. Ezekiel stared up at her, emotions flittering across his face so fast Freya couldn't keep up with them.

"I don't understand. Lena dropped me off here. She said I'd be safe and I wouldn't meet anyone," Ezekiel said.

"I don't know who Lena is, but…how long have you been here?" Freya asked worriedly. Ezekiel glanced the other way for a moment, mumbling something under his breath.

"How long?" Freya persisted.

"I was left at Torchwood five years ago. Maybel sent me here this year," Ezekiel finally admitted.

"Five years? Who's Maybel?" Freya asked.

"Lady Isobel's daughter. My great-great-great-great-lots of times great grandmother," Ezekiel said.

"And your name is really Ezekiel?" Freya asked. Ezekiel himself looked confused at her words.

"Of course I am. Bad Wolf's just a title," Ezekiel said with a grin.

"But if Bad Wolf is only a title, why do I call you Bad Wolf every time I meet you?" Freya asked. Ezekiel scrunched up his nose, as if he were thinking.

"I think Dad said I could go by my name until I regenerated for the first time. Then he said I needed to go by my title. I don't know why," Bad Wolf said with a frown.

"I don't understand why you're not with us. Future us, your parents. Why are you just stranded in the past?" Freya wondered aloud.

"Lena took me. She does that sometimes," Ezekiel said as he scrunched up his nose.

"Ezekiel…I know I'm not supposed to know about the future…but this Lena girl. Did she hurt you? Did she kidnap you?" Freya asked worriedly.

"You can call me Ezek. I like Ezek better, but Lena told me Ezek was too weird of a name for 1913. Lena doesn't hurt me. I don't know what to tell you about Lena. You're not worried about her. Future you, anyway," Ezek said with a shrug.

"Well, I am worried right now. As soon as we get everything here figured out, we'll take you home," Freya promised.

"What is home?" Ezek asked curiously.

"The TARDIS is home," Freya told him instantly.

"I don't remember the TARDIS. Not really. I haven't been on the TARDIS since I was little," Ezek said sadly.

"We'll have to change that. I'm not sure where she is now, but Martha ought to know," Freya told him, standing up.

They had only made it around the corner before they ran into Martha.

"We were just coming to look for you," Freya told her.

"I was given the afternoon off. I told Mr. Smith I would accompany you to pick up some more things you needed," Martha said. She kept glancing at Ezek.

"Actually, is there any way you can take us to the TARDIS?" Freya asked. Martha gaped at her for a moment before glancing at the boy.

"Martha, you've met Ezekiel, haven't you? He likes Ezek. But in the future, he goes by Bad Wolf," Freya said. Ezek gave her a small grin.

"You're kidding me," Martha said.

"No. Actually, I'm sort of worried about this then. The Doctor made himself human to keep from being found. Ezek's a Time Lord. There's two of him here right now. Won't that make us easy to find?" Freya asked.

"I don't think so. I think they caught the Doctor's scent, so they followed him and him alone. Still, maybe the TARDIS will have something to help us out," Martha said with a sigh before leading them away.

It was quite the long walk. Freya was almost regretting asking to come, but she had missed the TARDIS.

"If you're Bad Wolf, what are you doing here?" Martha asked as she unlocked a barn.

"I was left here five years ago. It happens," Ezek said with a shrug.

"You were just abandoned in the past?" Martha asked in disbelief, sending a glare to Freya. The door to the barn opened and Ezek pushed his way inside excitedly. He ran right up to the TARDIS, placing a hand on the door fondly.

Martha made her way up to the TARDIS and unlocked the door. Ezek, before Martha could open the door, pulled it towards him.

And it opened.

"But the doors are supposed to open by being pushed!" Martha said, eyes wide.

"Nah. She doesn't like it when you push her doors open. That's why the sign says pull," Ezek said before running inside. Freya followed him, as did Martha. For a moment Ezek just spun around, staring at the console room in happiness before he took off running. He stopped in the doorway.

"Can I explore, Mum?" Ezek asked.

"Go right ahead," Freya told him. Ezek's wide grin shot back at her as he took off running.

"Why did you come here?" Martha asked her the moment Ezek was out of the room.

"Excuse me?" Freya asked, confused. She turned to see Martha glaring at her, hands on her hips.

"We were doing just fine before you got here. Now we have to deal with the risk of them finding us because you arrived suddenly. And you're just confusing everything and making it all difficult," Martha said.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to find a way back to my husband," Freya said.

"We had fun without you, you know. It was great. We went to a party in our time and on a ship that was crashing into a sun. We had fun. And we didn't need you," Martha spat.

"Why do you hate me so much? What have I ever done to you?" Freya asked.

"I am never good enough. That's what," Martha shot back.

"Not good enough?" Freya asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. All I ever hear is Freya this and Freya that. As if you're perfect. And you're not. You're not smarter than me. You're not prettier than me. You're just lucky. That's it," Martha said angrily.

The degree of anger in Martha's voice genuinely shocked Freya. She knew Martha was mad at her but she had no idea Martha was _that_ mad at her. And Freya couldn't think of what she had done wrong. What had she done to cause that much anger?

Whatever it was, they couldn't be fighting. Not with everything that was going on. They needed to figure this out, and they needed to do it now. Preferably before Ezek returned. Freya settled herself down in the captain chair before glancing back at Martha.

"I'm not smarter than you. I'm not prettier than you. And I guess I am lucky. We got along just fine before you met the Doctor. And you like him. That's what I gather. You like him and are upset he likes me rather than you," Freya tried figuring out.

"He should like me," Martha insisted.

"But he doesn't," Freya finished for her. Martha didn't look any calmer at the statement.

"Even when you weren't there, all I kept hearing was about how he was wondering where you were, how soon we could get back to you," Martha said.

"Do you want to know where I was? I was with his older self. His older self kidnapped me because I was dead in his time," Freya said.

"So you weren't even alone the whole time," Martha accused.

"No. I wasn't. Instead, I was being kidnapped and pawned around and almost had a miscarriage," Freya said.

"Obviously you didn't if the kid is here," Martha said, rolling her eyes.

"Martha, time can be rewritten. Just because Ezek is here now doesn't mean he survives. He could still die," Freya pointed out.

"As if the Doctor would let that happen. You're his perfect little family," Martha said.

"The Doctor can't do anything for us right now. Martha, you're the only one who can help us right now. You. Because, despite whatever the Doctor's been making you feel, you're important. You're priceless to us. You are the only thing that stands between us and death. Not just me and Ezek, but the Doctor as well. You. He trusted you with all of that. What does that say?" Freya asked.

"That you weren't around," Martha said, her anger fading into bitterness.

"He could have tried to find me before settling here, in hiding. He didn't. Because he trusted you. He knew that you could keep him safe. He trusts you with his life, Martha. And not because he loves you. Because he thinks of you as a friend," Freya tried explaining.

"He sure doesn't act like it," Martha pointed out.

"He's clueless. He's an alien," Freya supplied. This got a small smile out of Martha before she hid it.

"He tried to take me home. Just dropped me off at my house and all but told me I wasn't good enough," Martha said.

"He didn't succeed," Freya said. If he had, she wouldn't be here.

"No. Because we found another adventure," Martha said.

"That's how the Doctor operates," Freya nodded in agreement.

"You told me once that I would meet a guy. A guy who would appreciate me. When?" Martha asked.

"I don't know. I know that in the future, you're married. Happily married. To a guy who deserves you, a guy you deserve. It's rather ironic, too. I'll explain it to you one day after you marry him. He's one of the people the Doctor was always underestimating, and he turned out to be amazing. Just like you. The Doctor always underestimates you. But you are amazing, and you'll turn out so much grander than he could ever imagine," Freya said.

"You think?" Martha asked hesitantly.

"I know," Freya reassured her. Martha's shoulders dropped at her words.

"I've been a right bitch, haven't I?" Martha asked.

"No. You've been confused and hurt. There's a difference," Freya said.

"I guess," Martha said, glancing at the ground.

"We'd bettered go find Ezek before he manages to cause trouble. He is his father's son," Freya said, standing up slowly.

"You haven't been moving very fast recently," Martha observed.

"No. I can't. He's been kicking a lot. Ready to come out, I think. The Doctor guessed – well, as Mr. Smith – that I had about three months left. I doubt I'd be able to hold out for one more month," Freya admitted.

"I hope you can. We have to stay here for two more months. I don't think you want to give birth in 1913 without your husband," Martha pointed out.

"No. I really don't. I'm scared of the thought," Freya admitted.

"Maybe the TARDIS has something to help slow you down a bit. Help you to hold out until we can get back, or at least until the Doctor is able to be there for you," Martha said.

"I don't know. Mr. Smith is very caring too. At times, I don't think he even realizes why he acts like he does, but there are times when he seems to want nothing more than to see me safe and well. The sleeping thing, for instance," Freya said.

"That's going to get both of you in trouble. The maids all talk. Mr. Smith seemed especially scatterbrained lately. Jenny – one of the maids – said the Headmaster told him that as soon as the conference ended, you would be given a private room. Don't know where we're getting one of those though," Martha said bitterly.

"I don't need a private room. I'm…well, the nightmares are far worse when I'm in a room alone," Freya admitted, one hand grabbing her other arm in an attempt to closer herself off.

"We should hurry up and check you out with the TARDIS equipment before we head back. And maybe grab a few things from the wardrobe for you to pretend we actually did go to town," Martha suggested.

"That'd be nice, yeah," Freya agreed.

"What'll be nice is to be able to use equipment again without someone staring down at me and acting like I'm an imbecile," Martha muttered.

"I'm sorry," Freya apologized as they entered the medbay. Martha shrugged her off as Freya managed to climb onto one of the beds. The effort to do so was exhausting and Freya had no qualms with lying back as soon as she made it on the table.

About that time, Ezek came running in the room, a cape on his shoulders.

"Mom! Look what I found!" he said excitedly before stopping.

"Are you okay? Why are you on a table?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. Just getting looked at. Making sure mini-you is okay. Wanna come sit with me?" Freya asked him. Ezek still stared dubiously at the machines Martha was powering up but wasted no time in dashing over to her, climbing up onto the bed next to her despite the lack of room.

"Right. Oh. That's not good," Martha murmured as she scanned Freya.

"What's not good?" Freya asked immediately.

"Nothing. Well, something. Our estimations. Mr. Smith's estimations. There is no way you'll make it two months. You'll be doing good to make it two weeks. Baby's full developed. It looks like it could be any day now. We've got to be really careful," Martha said, her voice filling with worry.

"I don't want to have a baby in 1913," Freya said, her voice small.

"I don't want to help deliver a baby in 1913. But we're going to have problems. If you do make it a month, let alone two, you won't be able to give birth naturally. He'll be too big. And if he comes in between a month and two months, while we are still there, we won't have the equipment for a c-section," Martha said.

"Then what are we going to do?" Freya asked.

"We're going to hope for the best. If you haven't given birth in one month, we're coming to the TARDIS and we'll induce you here. I don't…I don't know how to work all the equipment, but if we control it and do it here hopefully you'll be fine," Martha said, but even she didn't sound overly sure of herself.

"Can't we just take the TARDIS to a point when Daddy isn't human and have him help then?" Ezek asked, glancing between Freya and Martha in confusion.

"If we leave, they will be able to follow us. We don't want that," Martha said.

"What should I look out for? Will I know when everything starts happening?" Freya asked.

"With the baby?" Martha asked.

"Yeah."

"Your water will break. It'll probably feel like you wet yourself. And you'll get cramps," Martha supplied.

"We should probably get back soon. I think I'm missing Mr. Smith's class," Ezek piped up.

"That's not good," Freya said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Martha helped her up carefully.

"Did you get to explore the TARDIS?" Freya asked.

"Yeah. There was a bag with your name on it in the wardrobe room, so I brought it. Can I keep the cape?" Ezek asked, eyes wide.

"Not in this time period," Freya told him, ruffling his hair slightly. He seemed to wilt at her words.

"Tell ya what. As soon as this is all fixed up, you can keep the cape and we'll return you to the right time," Freya promised him.

"Really?" Ezek asked, his expression hopeful yet guarded at the same time.

"Of course. Lena, whoever she is, had no right to take you from us. We will make sure things are set right," Freya promised.

The group of them made their way back to the school, moving much slower than they had to get to the TARDIS in light of the news on Freya. When they got to the school, it was supper time.

Ezek, who had been carrying the bag for Freya, immediately hid himself behind the two women as they entered the school and approached Mr. Smith's room.

"He probably won't be in his room. You'll be fine," Martha tried telling the boy.

Freya wasn't going to lie to him. She knew Mr. Smith was always in his room right before supper.

Sure enough, when they entered the room, Mr. Smith's eyes landed directly on Ezek.

"You skipped my class today. O'Leary," Mr. Smith said.

"O'Leary?" Freya asked quietly. Ezek glanced at her and gave her a quick smile before it melted off his face, staring straight at the ground.

"It's my fault, sir," Freya said, stepping in front of Ezek. Mr. Smith seemed to falter at her calling him sir. She hadn't called him sir since her first day there. Her mind flashed as she tried to figure out exactly what to say. She had an idea, but she needed motive. She needed a reason for needing Ezek's help.

"I remembered something else today. I saw Ezek crying by the bench – sorry, I probably shouldn't have told him you were crying – and it reminded me of my childhood. Ezek and I grew up together. He's my….oh, cousin? I think cousin. I always thought of him as a brother, growing up. We were raised together," Freya said.

"Cousin?" Mr. Smith asked, eyebrows rising.

"Yes. And when Martha said we had to go pick up a few more things, I asked him to come along to carry the bag back for us. I was hoping to remember some more things. I didn't even think of him having classes," Freya said, lowering her eyes.

"Hold on a minute. O'Leary, if this is true, why didn't you say anything earlier? You could have saved us a lot of grief," Mr. Smith said, directing his attention back to Ezek. Ezek moved slightly so he was standing next to Freya rather than behind her. He was still holding the bag tightly, using it more as a shield than anything else.

And he didn't seem to recognize Mr. Smith.

So the Doctor really did have a different face from the time Ezek was taken.

"I was scared. My mom said she was sending someone to come get me, bring me home, but I didn't want to tell anyone. And when she got here and didn't remember me, I…I wanted her to remember me," Ezek lied, mumbling his words to the ground.

In a way, Freya was certain his words were true. And it hurt her to know that. He just wanted his mother to recognize him, and no matter what Freya was always failing at that.

"I got a letter back from the Torchwood Estate today confirming that you are a MacLeish. They said you were welcome to return as soon as you were able," Mr. Smith said, but his words seemed more forced than anything.

"I can't return now. I don't think I'd be able to travel before I give birth," Freya said regretfully.

"No. I daresay you wouldn't be able to," Mr. Smith said, almost perking up at her words.

As if he were glad she'd be stuck there with him a bit longer.

Was he glad?

Freya wasn't overly sure, but he seemed to be.

"Martha, you're dismissed," Mr. Smith said, waving Martha off. Martha's expression flashed to frustration for a moment before she nodded and curtsied before taking off.

"You don't plan on staying here, though," Mr. Smith said.

"I…I don't know," Freya said, unsure. Mr. Smith was getting at something, and Freya was uncertain as to what it was.

"Ezek, why don't you put my bag down by the couch and head off to supper? Make sure to apologize to your teachers and tell them where you really were," Freya told him. Ezek sat the bag down and nodded before wrapping his arms tightly around her. Bad Wolf kicked at the feeling.

It must have been a Time Lord thing. Like he could sense that they were close and knew if they touched that would be a paradox.

And then, just like that, Ezek took off running out of the room.

"Again, I am so sorry for having him miss class," Freya said, but Mr. Smith shook his head. He seemed to be contemplating something.

"Miss MacLeish, it is acceptable. I do have a question for you," Mr. Smith said, looking a bit nervous.

"Yes?" she asked.

"How old are you?" he asked. Freya was taken aback by the question; in all actuality, she was not sure how to answer it.

"Twenty-three," Freya guessed. Mr. Smith seemed to relax at her answer.

"I see. So you're an adult, most certainly. Good," Mr. Smith said before turning to his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled something out before turning to face Freya, a serious look on his face.

"I have come up with a solution for your sleeping problems," Mr. Smith began. Freya stared at him, not quite understanding what he was saying.

"I know I haven't known you for very long, but given the circumstances, I feel like I can help you. In many ways. You need someone to take care of you. I can do that. Miss MacLeish, would you do me the honor of marrying me?" Mr. Smith asked her as he went down on one knee. Freya's eyes widened at his actions.

He hadn't ever really proposed to her as the Doctor.

Granted, when it came to proposals, that was a poor one. He wanted to marry her out of necessity. Sounded achingly familiar. Would he ever have married her just because he wanted to?

"I'm confused," Freya admitted. Mr. Smith's nervousness seemed to increase.

"It would be beneficial for you. I have an established position as a teacher here. I already discussed this with the Headmaster. You can remain in my room if we are married. And we can even sleep together in the bed. You won't have to have nightmares," Mr. Smith said.

"What about my baby? It's not yours. What do you expect me to do with my baby?" Freya asked, wrapping her arms around her stomach. If it was the Doctor, she wouldn't have had to ask, but she had a feeling that in this time period it was frowned upon to keep a bastard child. And that was what they would classify Bad Wolf as. A bastard child.

Even if Freya wasn't going to be here that long, she wasn't about to make any decision that would hurt her child.

"You will keep the baby. Of course. I will raise it as if it were my own," Mr. Smith said earnestly. Freya stared down at him, where his nervousness seemed to be growing.

"You've only known me for weeks. And you want to marry me?" Freya asked for clarity.

"Yes!" Mr. Smith exclaimed.

"If I said yes, won't we still have to sleep in separate rooms until the wedding?" Freya asked, biting her lip. Mr. Smith stood, shaking his head as he captured her hands in between his own.

"No. If you say yes, we will head down to the chapel now and be married. The Headmaster spoke with the priest already and he agreed to come. If you don't want to, I can send him home though. I already worked it out. It's up to you," Mr. Smith said.

"Wow. That is…sudden," Freya said.

"I know it's a lot, but I want what's best for you," Mr. Smith told her.

"You've…you've thought this out," Freya said quietly. Mr. Smith nodded solemnly, still gripping her hands firmly.

"Ever since you had that first nightmare, I've been trying to come up with a solution. I know it won't be easy for you, what with you having been attacked, but we can work through that," Mr. Smith told her, his brown eyes staring deep into her own eyes. It was almost too much, the intensity.

"I-I don't even have all of my memories," Freya tried. Mr. Smith's eyes seemed to lose some of their hope with her words.

"No. You don't. But that doesn't matter to me," Mr. Smith said.

"Okay," Freya said. She couldn't get rid of the feeling of betrayal though. Like she was betraying the Doctor by agreeing to this.

But he was the Doctor. Right?

It confused Freya so much.

"Okay?" Mr. Smith asked, eyes widening hopefully.

"Yes," Freya managed out. Mr. Smith's eyes filled with happiness as he lifted her and spun her around before pulling her close to him.

"That's fantastic!" Mr. Smith said. The familiar word made Freya's heart ache but she offered him a smile when he sat her back down and pulled back.

"Come on! Not a moment to spare," he said, pulling her towards the door.

Freya winced at the movement, feeling a cramp spike through her.

"Slow down a bit, please," Freya begged. Mr. Smith stopped in his tracks, eyes going wide.

"Is it the baby? Are you having the baby now?" Mr. Smith asked in horror. Freya shook her head as the pain passed.

"No. But…I need slower. I can't more very fast. I think it's gonna be soon," Freya admitted.

Mr. Smith moved very slowly with her, meeting Matron at the bottom of the stairs.

"She said yes. Will you accompany us to the chapel?" Mr. Smith asked Matron.

"No wedding dress?" Matron asked.

"We just want to get it over with," Mr. Smith said.

"You do, maybe, but surely she doesn't," Matron pointed out.

"It's okay, Matron. It's not like I could wear a white dress anyway," Freya said, adding a self-deprecating laugh to her words. Matron's eyes lowered.

"Right. Let's get going," Mr. Smith said, drawing the attention away from the situation.

"Sir? Sir, where are you going?" Martha's voice called out just as they were about to leave the main area Freya turned around to see Martha staring in confusion and worry.

Ezek was also there, watching with wide eyes.

"Martha, it is none of your concern," Mr. Smith said sharply. Freya glanced at Ezek, wishing she had a way to communicate with him. His eyes met hers and he seemed to be waiting for something.

"Is something wrong, Ezek? One of the boys needing Matron?" Freya asked. Ezek's eyes widened and he nodded quickly.

"Luke doesn't feel too good," Ezek lied.

"Is it an emergency?" Matron asked impatiently.

"I wouldn't want you to neglect the students for us. Go. If we need a witness, Martha could come," Freya suggested quietly.

"I suppose," Mr. Smith hedged, nodding to Matron. Matron took off. Ezek did not.

"Where are you going?" Ezek asked, eyes wide.

"O'Leary, I'm certain I sent you to supper," Mr. Smith said.

"I just worry about my cousin," Ezek said, staring at Freya. Mr. Smith sighed and glanced at Freya.

"I'm sure he won't get in the way," Freya supplied.

"Fine. Hurry along, boy," Mr. Smith ordered. Ezek was at their side in an instant, as was Martha. Both looked confused but neither dared say anything.

Mr. Smith led them to the school's chapel, where Martha's eyes went wide.

"You're getting married?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"Not that it is any of your business, Martha, but yes. We are," Mr. Smith said coldly. Ezek slipped his hand inside of Freya's.

Mr. Smith left them in the hallway outside as he entered the room to talk to the priest privately.

"Married?" Martha asked.

"He asked. As a way to keep me sleeping properly," Freya murmured back to her.

"So he wants to marry a girl he's known a few weeks out of necessity?" Martha asked.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Freya said, the sadness creeping into her voice.

"How many times have the two of you got married?" Martha asked, her voice a faint whisper.

"Once, legally. We pretended a few times before that though. Usually to keep him from getting jailed when we arrived back in tatters after I'd been missing for weeks," Freya admitted.

"Blimey," Martha said.

"Life with the Doctor isn't always the easiest life, but I can't see myself with anything else anymore," Freya admitted.

Mr. Smith came back out and waved the lot of them into the room. The priest was standing at the front of the room, reading a document. He glanced up at them and nodded slowly.

"Ah. Miss MacLeish, Mr. Smith was just informing me of your current predicament. I can't say I'm comfortable with the conditions," the priest said. Freya stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"However, if you are both happy with the agreement, I do not have a problem with it," the priest said.

The ceremony went well. It was very basic, just as their first had been. They signed the document at the end, even though the priest frowned at Martha being the witness.

After, the group of them made it back to the main area of the school where Mr. Smith sent Martha away with orders that she was to sleep in the maid's quarters once more. Freya sent Ezek away with a kiss on the cheek when Mr. Smith wasn't looking.

It was then that Mr. Smith seemed to be unsure as to what to do. He stared at her for a moment, as if trying to work up the nerve to say something. It felt weird to Freya, having a different ring on her finger – her other was now around her neck on a simple chain.

It was worse when she really thought about it. Because this man was not the Doctor. He really and truly wasn't. Freya could see aspects of the Doctor in him, but he was not the same.

She was just thankful she would be doing nothing more than sharing a bed with the man for sleeping purposes only. She didn't know if she could handle the guilt if she did otherwise. Even if he was supposed to be the same person.

It was odd to Freya. When she met the other regenerations of the Doctor, she had no problem sharing a kiss or two with them or sleeping the night in their bed, but with Mr. Smith, it was so different. He was the Doctor, but he wasn't. What made him him was locked up.

"Why don't you rest for awhile? I'll go get us some food," Mr. Smith finally said before scurrying out of the room. Freya was grateful for the silence.

He was back before she even realized it, a tray in his arms. He settled himself down next to Freya and started eating food from one of the plates.

"Thank you," Freya said quietly. Mr. Smith nodded and not another word was said.

That night was just as quiet as the evening. Only this time, Freya hesitantly changed into her nightclothes in the corner of the room rather than leaving the room. Mr. Smith seemed to have the same idea and the two of them slipped into the bed.

Despite her discomforts, Freya was asleep in minutes.

**This chapter may have felt a bit awkward with Freya's feelings, but give her a break. It is confusing, and her body is coursing with hormones. One more chapter left of this arc! The Family of Blood is next! Given the circumstances (Freya and the time baby inside of her, and Ezek the time lord himself in the area), it won't take near as long for the Family of Blood to scout them out as it had in the real thing. That's part of the reason there is only going to be one more chapter here as opposed to two. I hope everyone has liked this section. I wanted something entirely different.**

**Also, now you realize why Martha's been so rude. Since this has followed Freya most of the time, you haven't got to see how the Doctor is when it's just him and Martha. Also, Ezek! Did you see that coming? Probably not. ;) I know the wedding was rushed there, but I wanted to get you a chapter. I felt bad about making you all wait. **

**Please leave a review with your thoughts! I got considerably less reviews less chapter and I'm a bit concerned that I've scared some people off.**

**Stick with me! Another chapter to come hopefully next week!**

**Andi**


	11. The Family of Blood

**Final story in the Family of Blood/Human Nature arc! I apologize now though. I do not know very much about actual birth, so writing that out was very difficult. Still, I hope you enjoy it!**

Chapter 11: The Family of Blood

Another week had passed. Another week and Freya hurt all over. She hadn't dared go down the stairs without Martha or Mr. Smith's assistance in two days, and even then she was worried about it. Mr. Smith's nerves seemed to be amped up as well; he was constantly jittery and watching her, as if he were waiting for her to pop at any second.

Martha was no better. She was hovering around Freya much too often to be considered normal. Even Matron was there more frequently. Little pains kept flitting through Freya, pains that terrified her but at the same time she was worried to mention. What if they were nothing? She didn't want to bother anyone with a scare.

Freya was reading with Ezek one evening in the library when Martha burst in, eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" Freya asked, quickly placing a bookmark in the book.

"I think they found us. There were shooting stars in the sky," Martha said.

"They're not really shooting stars. They're actually…" Ezek drifted off at the glare Martha levelled him.

"I know. Mr. Smith already gave me the whole spiel. I went to where it looked like it came down but didn't see anything. Jenny was with me but I told her I had to run ahead and get back," Martha said quickly.

"Ezek, whatever you do, stay on the grounds, okay? If anyone acts suspicious, come to find us," Freya told Ezek immediately. The boy nodded. He looked a bit frightened by her words. In a sense, Freya was glad. If he was frightened, he'd do as she had asked.

Freya stood, wincing as she did.

"Mom?" Ezek asked worriedly. Freya waved it off.

"It was just a quick pain," Freya said. Martha's eyes went wide.

"Have you felt any other sharp pains today?" Martha asked. Freya shook her head.

"If you do, please, let me know. Don't…don't stress out at all, okay? Try to be as relaxed as possible. If you stress, it might send you into labor," Martha said.

"I'll try," Freya whispered.

"Here. I'll help you back to the room," Martha said. Freya gave Ezek a quick kiss on the top of his head before he scampered out of the room.

Martha even helped Freya change into her nightclothes, something Freya had not had her do since they had arrived. And Martha even laid her down.

"I'll go check and make sure everything's good. Just…try not to go into labor. Not that you can prevent it, but...if they're here, maybe we can get rid of them and get back to the right time before you give birth," Martha said hopefully before leaving the room.

Freya was half asleep when Mr. Smith made his way into the room. At the sight of her in the bed and the lights off, he crept quietly and changed into his night clothes before slipping into bed next to her. Right before Freya fell asleep, Bad Wolf kicked her again. Mr. Smith felt the movement and seemed to curl around her more, hands loosely splayed across her stomach.

Freya was woken up by a sharp pain. She gasped at the sensation, sitting up abruptly. She curled herself around her stomach, waiting as the pain faded.

And it did fade. It faded rather quickly. But Freya's fear did not. Mr. Smith shifted in the bed next to her. Freya quickly felt around but it didn't feel like she'd wet the bed. Her water hadn't broke.

She would be fine.

She laid back down just as Mr. Smith's eyes opened.

"Morning," he said quietly.

"Morning," Freya responded.

"How are you feeling?" Mr. Smith asked her.

"I've been better," Freya admitted, pressing her hand against her stomach. She closed her eyes, trying to sense Bad Wolf.

He didn't seem happy, but he hadn't seemed happy the last few times she'd checked. He was bored, mainly.

But if he wasn't alarmed, neither was Freya. After all, she figured he'd be the first to know if he was about to leave her womb.

Still, she moved even slower as she got up. Mr. Smith seemed to notice as well but made no move to voice any concern, merely helped her when she struggled with lacing up her dress.

"Any day now?" Mr. Smith asked. Freya nodded, biting her lip as she did. Any day, and they would be able to leave there. Leave there, and Freya could have her baby in the modern times.

They made it through lunch with no issues. Freya was in the library, straightening up, just as she did whenever she got bored, when she felt another cramp suddenly hit her. This one was sharper than the one from that morning, and seemed to last a bit longer before fading.

It wasn't until Freya was using the facilities an hour later that she realized her water had broken.

She was on her way to find Martha when she ran into Ezek.

"Martha's looking for you! They're here! They found us!" Ezek cried out. Freya clutched Ezek as another cramp shot through her.

"Mom?" Ezek whispered, eyes wide.

"Where's Martha and Mr. Smith?" Freya asked, feeling slightly breathless. She had time. She knew she had time. Babies always took forever, right? She was sure they did.

She hoped they did, anyway. She was hit by a wave of panic from Bad Wolf.

"Martha's looking for the fob watch. It's missing," Ezek whispered, eyes still wide.

"Run up and tell Martha we're heading for the TARDIS. You and me," Freya said. Ezek's eyes got even wider as he nodded and dashed up the stairs. He was back down in less than two minutes, at Freya's side.

"Is little me coming?" Ezek asked.

"I think so. I can't run, so it'll be safer if I just get to the TARDIS," Freya explained. Ezek nodded and quickly helped Freya in the process of slowly walking out of the school.

They had been walking for ten minutes and were only halfway to the TARDIS when two people and a handful of scarecrows moved into their path.

"This isn't the Time Lord, is it?" the boy said. Freya noticed that Ezek gripped Freya tighter. The boy….it was one of the students. One of the older students, one of the bullies.

"Baines, what are you doing?" Ezek asked.

"Silence, boy!" Baines shouted at him. The little girl standing next to him stared at Freya and then Ezek.

"They smell the same. And it's not like the smell of the Time Lord," the girl stated.

"But they smell so different. I'm sure we could use them all the same," the boy said, pulling out a gun. The little girl pulled out a gun as well. Freya tried to shove Ezek behind her, but he wasn't there.

Freya's eyes went wide as she turned around. He wasn't there. In the time it took her to turn back around, she saw what looked like a blur and the boy's gun dropped to the ground in pieces, then the girl's, then the scarecrows one by one lost their heads in a quick sort of round.

And then Ezek was back at her side, breathing a bit roughly but with a defiant glare on his face.

"No one threatens my mother," Ezek said angrily.

"We need reinforcements, Sister of Mine," Baines said.

"No. You will leave my mother alone," Ezek said, his words stronger this time. Both the girl and boy stared at him, taking in his words. Ezek quickly tried dragging a confused Freya along.

"We have your TARDIS. It's already been moved," Baines called out. Ezek kept dragging Freya along as another cramp hit Freya hard. Freya gasped at the feel of it. Before she could even start moving again, there was a bang.

Like a gunshot.

Ezek disappeared from her sight but wasn't as fast in his vanishing that time. He was back at her side in a few seconds, his grip on her tightening.

"Come on!" he urged.

He led Freya off the path and through the woods to a smaller house.

"Whose house is this?" Freya asked.

"The little girl's house. Lucy Cartwright. It should be empty. I bet they killed her parents whenever her parents tried stopping her from leaving this morning," Ezek said, his words heavy. He knocked on the door before shoving it open. Freya managed to get inside and sank into a chair just as Ezek himself shut the door.

Before slumping against the door.

"Ezek?" Freya asked, her alarm building. She struggled to stand back up, but Ezek had turned around and was shaking his head.

"Stay there. Stay seated. Don't risk hurting little me," Ezek begged.

"What's wrong?" Freya asked, feeling her fear rise.

"I didn't move fast enough. I wasn't able to stop the bullet. It hit me," Ezek said.

"How did you move that fast to begin with?" Freya asked.

"Time Lord trick. I can control time. But it's hard. And it took most of my strength to get rid of their weapons. I hadn't realized Baines had another gun," Ezek said.

"It's just a bullet. We can fix that, right?" Freya asked, her worry rising.

"Yeah. We could. But we don't have the stuff. It's okay, Mom. I'll regenerate," Ezek said.

"But you're too young! You shouldn't regenerate already!" Freya protested, tears dropping from her eyes.

"I won't just yet. I'll…I'll wait as long as I can, yeah? Hopefully Dad and Martha can get here first," Ezek whispered before stumbling over to Freya. He glanced around the room for a minute.

"We need to get you into a bed. So you don't hurt yourself moving," Ezek said. Freya managed to stand just in time for another cramp.

Only these really weren't cramps, she realized. They were contractions.

She was really going to have a baby in 1913.

She stumbled after Ezek, managing to crawl into the bed. Ezek himself climbed into bed next to her, curling up into her side.

"Where were you hit?" Freya asked. She didn't know much about first aid, but she could at least try to stop the blood. Ezek shook his head.

"It hit me in one of my hearts. No use trying to stop it," Ezek said with a scared smile. Freya wrapped her arms around him and prayed Martha would get there soon, the Doctor and not Mr. Smith in tow.

Martha:

She was in the middle of digging through another drawer when Mr. Smith walked in.

"Martha, this is uncalled for. Get out," Mr. Smith ordered, anger present in his voice.

"I need to find your fob watch. Freya wants it," Martha lied.

"What fob watch?" Mr. Smith asked. Matron made her way into the room quietly behind him. Martha did not like the fact that Matron was following Mr. Smith around like a puppy, even though he was now married…again.

"You had a fob watch up there," Martha said.

"There is no fob watch," Mr. Smith said.

"Actually, sir, you did have a fob watch there," Matron piped up.

"You said Freya wanted it. Where is Freya?" Mr. Smith asked, turning around.

Martha really didn't want to think about that. Ezek had rushed into the room, eyes wide, and announced that him and Freya were making their way to the TARDIS for safety.

"Her and Ezek took a walk. She was feeling off," Martha lied.

"Off? She could have her baby any day!" Matron gasped.

"She was extremely concerned about having the fob watch. That's why I told her I'd find it," Martha said.

"But it was on the mantle. It had been there for weeks," Matron said.

"Really? I don't recall ever seeing it," Mr. Smith said.

"It was in here yesterday. Who's been in here since yesterday?" Martha asked.

"That is not the proper way for you to speak to your master," Matron told her sternly. Martha was exasperated.

"I beg your pardon, but I'm concerned with Freya…Miss MacLeish…Mrs. Smith. She was really upset that she couldn't find it," Martha said.

"I had a few students in here for some papers. Come. They should be on the lawn. If one of them took it, we can get them to admit it and get it back," Mr. Smith said, leading the way out of the room. Martha and Matron followed closely.

When they got to the field, standing there was a student, a little girl, Jenny (her fellow maid), and a man from the village.

All standing in front of the TARDIS. Martha's eyes went wide.

"The girl who smells different was married to him," the boy said, pointing at Mr. Smith. The four of them stared at Mr. Smith. The group of boys were all being secured by a group of scarecrows.

"Baines? What is this madness?" Mr. Smith asked.

"What do you mean, the girl who smells different?" Martha asked. The people turned to look at her.

"The girl we ran into in the woods," the little girl said. Martha's eyes went wide.

"She didn't look so well. I think the boy took a hit from the gun," the boy said with a grin.

"That's Freya. Freya's in the woods somewhere. About to have her baby," Martha said in horror. Mr. Smith looked at her, then at the others.

"I don't understand what's going on," he shouted at them.

"Seize the schoolteacher," the man ordered. The scarecrows released the boys and were heading towards him when they all froze.

"There! Did you smell it?" the boy asked.

"Time Lord," the little girl breathed.

"Run!" Martha shouted, grabbing Mr. Smith's arms and dragging him along.

"I say, Martha, we can't abandon the school! Not when something is happening!" Mr. Smith protested angrily.

"We can because otherwise your wife will have her baby alone in the woods and very well might die in the process," Martha said angrily. Mr. Smith didn't protest her pulling, but after five minutes of crashing through the woods and finding nothing, he was not happy.

At least, until a girl walked in front of them, red hair gleaming in the twilight. She couldn't have been older than twelve, and even that looked to be a stretch.

"This way!" she ordered them.

"Who are you?" Martha asked.

"They call me Lil' Red. Now, you'd bettered get coming! Mom's this way!" the girl said.

"Lil' Red and Bad Wolf? You have got to be kidding me," Martha said.

"Who's Mom? Who is she talking about?" Mr. Smith shouted.

"Quiet! What's your problem?" the girl demanded. Mr. Smith stared at her, words escaping him. She nodded at his silence.

"Good. Stay that way," she said, skipping ahead of them.

"How do you know where she is?" Martha asked.

"I have a Vortex Manipulator. Mine is tracking hers," Lil' Red said.

"And why did you show up?" Martha asked.

"I set it on random and sensed what was happening," Lil' Red said with a shrug. She led them to a house in the woods.

"There. Come on!" she urged. The two of them followed as the little girl knocked on the door.

No answer.

A few seconds later, she opened it and peeked her head inside.

And gasped.

Martha quickly opened the door and hurried inside just as Freya let out a scream. Lying on the bed was both Freya and Ezek.

Ezek's skin was glowing a bit of a gold color, and he looked relieved to see them.

"Good. Mom, everything's going to be okay. I promise, yeah?" he said. Freya winced and nodded, gripping his hand tightly. He crawled out of the bed, stumbling into the wall.

"What's happening?" Martha asked.

"Why is he glowing?" Mr. Smith asked. The little girl closed the door quickly and pushed both of them back before dashing over to Ezek. She grabbed his hand and pulled him farther away from Freya.

"Everyone stand back. Do you know what to do?" Lil' Red asked Ezek. Ezek had tears in his eyes, Martha realized.

"No. I don't know what's going on. I know I'll regenerate. But I don't know how," Ezek whispered.

"Just think about it. You've already started. We're going to stand back. Think about becoming a new person. Duck!" Lil' Red shouted as she jumped back. Ezek's limbs and head exploded in a sort of gold light.

After a few seconds, he crumpled to the ground.

Only it wasn't Ezek anymore.

In fact, it looked just like the Bad Wolf Martha had seen before.

About that time, Freya let out another cry. Lil' Red scampered onto the bed next to her, quickly curling up into her side and holding her hand tightly.

"Just breath!" Lil' Red urged her mother.

Martha stared. And stared. Because there was Freya, about to have a baby. And a little girl claiming to be their next child. And Bad Wolf, a thirteen year old who just turned into an older teen in front of them, different face and everything.

"What just happened?" Mr. Smith asked, eyes wide.

"Regeneration. He was dying, so he changed. His entire body cha – AH!" Freya cried out.

"I think the baby's coming," Lil' Red said, eyes wide and on Martha.

"I don't know what to do!" Martha cried.

"You know more than we do," Lil' Red said. Martha turned to see Bad Wolf/Ezek crash into the table.

"Make sure he's alright. Please. Make sure he's alright first," Freya begged, nodding to Bad Wolf.

"How can I tell if he's alright?" Martha asked.

"Can someone explain to me what's going on?" Mr. Smith shouted.

"We don't have time for this. We have three big issues right now. Right now you're not one of them!" Martha shouted at him.

"Please. Daddy. Can you go get water?" Lil' Red asked, her voice sounding much younger than what she was. Mr. Smith turned and stared at her.

"I don't know who you think I am, but I am no one's father. My name is John Smith. I've never seen you before in my life," Mr. Smith told her. Lil' Red gripped Freya's hand before standing up. She was tall, standing only two heads shorter than Mr. Smith himself. From where Martha was standing, it was apparent that she was related to him in some sense or another. Her eyes were identical to his, and her facial structure was just as his as well. The only difference between the two, really, was the red hair she had.

In fact, she looked like she'd taken nothing from Freya at all.

Lil' Red stared at Mr. Smith for a moment before sighing.

"I wish I could just show you. I was told I couldn't do anything like that. Said it would take away from my time, but my time's almost up, yeah? Everyone keeps acting like I'm about to die," Lil' Red said, staring at Freya. Freya's eyes widened.

"No. Don't do anything that could limit your time," Freya begged.

"But if I don't, how will he know? We need him to help. Bad Wolf's going to be caught up. Martha, try checking his hearts," Lil' Red piped up. Martha moved cautiously to Bad Wolf's side, checking his pulse quickly. It was erratic.

Lil' Red reached up and took Mr. Smith's head in her hands, her fingers pressed against her temples. Martha glanced over in time to see Lil' Red slam her head into Mr. Smith's head. Both fell apart clutching their heads.

"What?" Mr. Smith asked in alarm.

"Yeah. I know. Lots of information. Come here. One more time," Lil' Red said, grabbing his head and slamming it into hers once more.

"Direct information transfer," Bad Wolf gasped out. Freya let out another cry, causing Bad Wolf to stumble over to her. He gripped her hand tightly and started mimicking breathing for her. Freya copied his breathing as Martha moved to the side.

"Now please, Daddy, we need to help Mom have her baby. Go get some water," Lil' Red told Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith wasted no time in grabbing a bucket and heading out the door.

"What did you tell him?" Freya gasped out.

"Keep breathing," Martha urged her as she shifted the sheets around on the bed, trying to remember everything she knew about childbirth.

The first thing she knew was that there was no way Freya would be able to continue breathing in her dress, laced up. She slowly propped Freya up and unlaced the dress, loosening it drastically. Freya's breathing deepened at the movement.

"I told him about Time Lords, about him, about us, everything really. And then showed him how important it was to do what you said right now," Lil' Red said. Martha nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Okay. I guess," she mumbled.

"I'll stay up here. Shouldn't you get rid of her, um, underthings," Bad Wolf said, his skin turning slightly red at the words.

It didn't look good against his ashy tone.

"You don't look so good," Martha said to him.

"It's okay. I'll be good. Fine. I think," Bad Wolf said as he leaned back, breathing out a strain of gold that immediately was inhaled by Freya.

"What was that?" Martha asked in alarm.

"Regeneration energy. I don't know why it's going to Mom though," Bad Wolf said.

"To help her give birth to you, stupid," Lil' Red said as she rolled her eyes.

"We need to know how to stop…the enemy," Freya finished in a gasp.

"The Family of Blood. I don't know how," Martha said, frustrated.

"But he would know, right? The Doctor?" Mr. Smith asked from the doorway. He was clutching a pail of water, looking rather pale.

"He ought to, yeah," Martha said.

"Then we should try to find him," Mr. Smith said, looking terrified as he said the words.

"But you know what that would mean," Lil' Red said, staring intently at him. He swallowed and nodded.

"Yeah. But I can't do it. I can't save everyone. I can't protect you from them. And…I don't know if I could help Freya," Mr. Smith said.

"We can't spare anyone leaving right now, Mr. Smith. I have to stay with Freya and try to help her. Bad Wolf, er, Ezek, is recovering from his whatever he just did," Martha explained. Lil' Red released her mom's hand and stood.

"I can go find it. I'll be back soon," Lil' Red promised, planting a quick kiss on her mother's forehead before dashing out of the room.

"Can I…can I have a moment alone with Freya?" Mr. Smith asked.

"She's in the middle of labor," Martha protested, but Freya shook her head.

"It's okay. I'll…I'll scream if I need you," she said. Martha looked apprehensive but steered Bad Wolf out of the room, just outside of the building.

Mr. Smith slowly made his way to the bed, sitting next to her with his eyes still on her.

"You knew. The entire time. You knew," Mr. Smith accused.

"I did. I didn't know what you knew, and I had to stay with you," Freya explained, her words coming out in short sections.

"Were the nightmares just a ploy?" Mr. Smith demanded.

"No. Those are real. I…I haven't had them in a long time," Freya admitted.

"But in her memories…the Doctor and your daughter…it said the two of you get separated sometimes. How do you handle that?" Mr. Smith asked.

"I have friends. More friends than before. It is difficult but I can usually manage," Freya said as another contraction hit her.

"I could have loved you. With time, I really could have," Mr. Smith said.

"I know you could have," Freya told him, barely managing to smile to him as she gripped the bedsheets tightly.

"MARTHA!" Freya called as another contraction hit her hard.

"What's wrong?" Mr. Smith asked anxiously.

"Pain," Freya gasped as Martha and Bad Wolf made their way back into the room. Bad Wolf halted.

"If it's all the same, I think I'll stand guard. Don't think I wanna watch myself be born," Bad Wolf said, turning and quickly leaving the room.

A few more pushes and an excruciating amount of pain later, and Martha let out a cry of joy.

"It's a boy! Not that you didn't know that already!" Martha said as she wrapped the screaming baby in some cloth from the bed.

"Scissors. Bad Wolf, we need you! Can you find us some scissors?" Martha called.

"On it," Bad Wolf responded. Freya's head fell back and she felt exhaustion creeping up on her.

"Stay awake, if you can," Martha told her.

"Why?" Mr. Smith asked in alarm.

"We want to make sure she's okay. Stay awake, okay? That way we know immediately if something is wrong," Martha said, biting her lip as she did.

Bad Wolf entered the room and handed Martha a pair of scissors, which Martha used to cut the umbilical cord. While keeping an eye on Freya, she cleaned the baby as quickly as she could before wrapping him once more in a clean cloth Bad Wolf had dropped on the bed next to the scissors.

"Do you want to hold your baby?" Martha asked Freya. Freya nodded, her eyes glued to the bundle despite her seeming exhaustion. Martha carefully sat the baby bundle in her arms as she tried to clean up the mess to the best of her abilities.

Mr. Smith stared at the child, eyes as transfixed as Freya's were. Freya held the baby tightly for a moment before glancing up at Mr. Smith.

"Do you want to hold him?" she asked him. Mr. Smith hesitated before holding his arms out. Freya settled the baby in his arms, leaning on him as she did. Mr. Smith melted into her, a smile breaking out over his face as he gazed down at the baby.

"He's beautiful," Mr. Smith said. He handed the baby carefully back to Freya before wrapping his arms around her as well, staring down at the baby just as she was.

The door banged open, shocking both of them.

In ran Lil' Red, Timothy Latimer's arm locked with hers.

"He had it. Said it told him to hide it. But we have a problem. They're bombing the down," Lil' Red said grimly. Mr. Smith stared at Freya for a moment before kissing her on the lips. After a moment, he pulled back and kissed the babyon the head as well.

He climbed off the bed and took the watch from Lil' Red. He stared at it for a moment before glancing up at Freya.

"We could have been happy," he said sadly.

"We could have," Freya agreed.

"He…he'll take care of you? You and the baby? He'll protect you both?" Mr. Smith asked. Freya nodded, gripping Baby Ezekiel, Baby Bad Wolf, tighter.

Mr. Smith flipped the watch open and the light flowed into him. He stumbled backwards, blinking a few times.

His eyes surveyed the room. Bad Wolf, newly regenerated and slipping into a fitful sleep; Freya holding his newborn son and looking exhausted. And his daughter who he hadn't really met before properly. His daughter, who was human, utterly human, yet could do things only a Time Lord or Lady ought to do.

"I'll go take care of them. Stay here. Martha, keep her awake until I can examine her," the Doctor said.

"Don't you want to hold your baby before you go?" Martha asked him in disbelief. The Doctor stared at her and then at his son before shaking his head.

"No. I need to get rid of the threat first. I'll get rid of the threat to them then I'll be back and it'll be awhile before you'll be able to pry him from my arms," the Doctor warned as he stalked out of the house.

The door slammed firmly behind him.

Martha was at Freya's side instantly, examining her and trying to make sure she was fine to the best of her abilities. Lil' Red and Latimer stood side by side, watching curiously. And then there was Bad Wolf, who had yet to wake up from the slump he'd slinked into.

Lil' Red skipped over to Freya's side as soon as Martha seemed to step back. The little girl crawled onto the bed next to Freya, huddled up at her side. She frowned at the baby.

"He looks squishy," Lil' Red said in disdain. Baby Bad Wolf opened his eyes and let out a wail at her words.

"She means that in a good way, darling," Freya reassured the crying baby.

"Wait – he understands us?" Martha asked. Freya nodded.

"He has a higher developed cognitive sense. At least, that's what the Doctor would say I'm sure," Freya said.

"I'm also just really smart," Bad Wolf muttered from across the room.

"Come over here," Freya ordered him, sitting up in the bed.

"Don't wanna touch the baby. Paradox," Bad Wolf mumbled.

"You won't touch the baby. There's room for you to lay here on the other side of me," Freya pointed out. Bad Wolf let out a sigh but stood, shuffling over slowly. He managed to crawl onto the bed and Freya handed baby Bad Wolf over to Lil' Red as he shifted onto the bed. Freya wrapped an arm around him before tucking Lil Red under her other arm.

"I'm your sister, silly!" Lil' Red giggled at the baby.

"Don't patronize me!" Bad Wolf snapped.

"Children," Freya said, glancing between the two. Bad Wolf pouted.

"But Mom….she started it," Bad Wolf complained.

"I'm younger. I should be complaining, not you," Lil' Red said as she stuck her tongue out at her brother. Baby Bad Wolf gurgled at Lil' Red.

"No. He's not your brother. He's you! Future you! That's what you have to look forward to," Lil' Red informed the child. Baby Bad Wolf gurgled once more and Bad Wolf glared at, well, himself.

"Oi! That's not very nice!" Bad Wolf said angrily.

"Children. The three of you need to calm down. I'm tired. Don't fight," Freya told them.

"Yes Mum," the two older children said, and even the baby looked apologetic.

"Martha, wanna come over here?" Freya asked. Martha moved to her side cautiously.

"How do they know what the baby is saying?" Martha asked.

"We speak baby," Lil' Red said, eyes wide with honesty.

"Darling, Bad Wolf, Ezekiel, this is Martha. Martha's a good friend of ours. She helped you," Freya introduced. Baby Bad Wolf stared up at her and managed to smile.

"That's adorable," Martha said. Lil' Red held out Bad Wolf to Martha and Martha did not hesitate to wrap the child in her arms.

"Oh! Bad Wolf. I have something for you. Your father gave it to me to give to you," Freya said, taking what looked like a thick wrist bracelet off.

"Is that a Vortex Manipulator?" Bad Wolf asked, eyes wide.

"Yes it is," Freya said, putting the bracelet on his arm.

"What's a Vortex Manipulator?" Martha asked.

"Like cheap time travel, as Daddy says. Time travel with less style," Lil' Red said with a laugh.

"It's like getting a first car, I guess. You don't get a great fancy car first," Freya tried relating it, although she herself wasn't sure she understood all the concepts. Bad Wolf pulled the leather cover open and frowned at it.

"The numbers are moving all wrong," he said, pushing a few buttons.

Before he disappeared.

"What just happened?" Martha asked, gripping the baby tighter.

"He accidentally set it off. I told him I'd bring him home," Freya said with a frown.

"He'll find his way there. He always does," Lil' Red said.

"And what about you? Do you always find your way home?" Martha asked her.

"I will until I die," Lil' Red said honestly. Freya winced at her words.

"Do you know when you'll die?" Martha asked. Lil' Red nodded solemnly.

"This year. Really soon. I can feel it coming. There's no stopping it. This body isn't able to last all that long," Lil' Red said.

"Why can't you do what your brother just did?" Martha asked.

"Because I only have one heart. My body is human. I have a human body with the majority of a Time Lord's mind. It's burning out my mind," Lil' Red explained.

"But surely we could do something to fix that?" Freya asked quietly.

"You have. I shouldn't have lived long past birth. You'll see, when it happens. Twelve years is better than the none I should have received," Lil' Red pointed out. She then crawled out of the bed.

"I really ought to be going. I wish I could stay and say hi to Daddy, but my time's so limited. I think I have to go on a goodbye tour soon. That's what Daddy calls them. He's very dramatic," Lil' Red said with a giggle, but both Freya and Martha could see the sadness in her eyes.

"Take care. And be a good girl," Freya told her as Lil' Red wrapped her arms around Freya.

"I'm always a good girl," Lil' Red said before giving her baby brother a kiss on the forehead and a quick hug to Martha before flashing out with her own Vortex Manipulator.

As soon as she was gone, the TARDIS materialized in the room. The Doctor walked out and scooped up Freya, making his way directly into the TARDIS without another word. A few minutes later, he came out, offering the fob watch to Timothy.

"Thank you for keeping it safe," the Doctor said. Timothy nodded.

"Is Miss Freya alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. She's fine. I checked her out real quick and laid her down to sleep," the Doctor told him.

"Tell her I said bye," Timothy said.

"I will," the Doctor told him before nodding to Martha.

"You coming?" he asked her. Martha nodded, still cradling the baby, as she followed him into the TARDIS.

He immediately set her off, only jerking slightly at the movements. As soon as he was done, he turned to Martha, eyes glued on the baby. Martha held the baby out to him and he tentatively lifted him up.

"Bad Wolf. Ezekiel O'Leary, if the name he went by in the school was anything to go by. My son," the Doctor said, staring down at the child.

"Did you take care of the Family of Blood?" Martha asked.

"Yeah. They won't be bothering anyone ever again," the Doctor said.

"And Freya's fine?" Martha asked for clarification.

"Freya is just fine. Where's my other children?" the Doctor asked, glancing around as if noticing their disappearance for the first time.

"Bad Wolf used the Vortex Manipulator older you gave Freya to give to him and accidentally disappeared. Lil' Red had to leave," Martha said.

"Doctor?" Martha and the Doctor turned to see Freya standing in the doorway, leaning against the wall.

"Freya? What are you doing up? I said you could sleep," the

Doctor said.

"I couldn't. I wanted to be near my baby," Freya said, stumbling across the room. The Doctor was at her side in an instant.

"Come on. Let's both go to bed. Martha, you can too. We need a bit of relaxing. Thank you. For the help," the Doctor added.

"No problem," Martha said.

"No. Thank you. You were really helpful to me," Freya added.

Freya, the Doctor, and baby Bad Wolf stumbled into the bedroom, the Doctor helping Freya to lay down before tucking baby Bad Wolf in the bed next to her. He then climbed into the bed as well.

"If I'd known you were coming, I would have found a way to incorporate you into the story the TARDIS made for me," the Doctor told her as soon as the lights went out.

"You couldn't have known," Freya said.

"But you always manage to come back," the Doctor said.

"Why did you go on adventures without me?" Freya asked, the question that had been nagging at her popping out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"I took Martha home, and we found out about her sister's boss changing what it meant to be human. So we stopped him. We were on our way to pick you up when the TARDIS landed in the wrong time. It landed on a spaceship instead of in your place. We saved the ship, then tried for you. When we got there, you were gone. I tried finding you, but we couldn't. And then we ran into the Family of Blood. I was going to run a tracker on you as soon as they died," the Doctor said.

"What are we going to do?" Freya asked.

"I'm sorry?" the Doctor asked.

"Bad Wolf was in the past and had been there for five years. We find him later in 1994 where he'd been waiting for years as well. Why do we keep losing our children?" Freya wanted to know.

"Well, now we have to since we know we do. It's a paradox, unfortunately. I don't know," the Doctor said.

"But I don't get to see my children grow up. And my little girl dies before she has a chance to live," Freya said, feeling the tears building up. The Doctor's arms wrapped themselves around her tightly.

"Hey. Don't think about it. Think about now. We're alive, and we're together," the Doctor pointed out.

Freya fell asleep in his arms, tears drying on her face.

**There you go! Blink is next! Review with your thoughts. I'm aware it may not be as good as some other chapters, but I hope it answers some questions. Like why Freya would not recognize Bad Wolf as Ezekiel immediately (she should have if he looked the same as he did before). And a bit more about Lil' Red. Since he didn't have as strong a relationship with Matron, I didn't see him having the urge to go back and explain himself to her. So they just sort of up and left. **

**Leave a review and let me know what you thought!**


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